Of Golden Heart and Emerald Memories
by TheSleepyNinja15
Summary: C.C. became a vital part of Lelouch's multiple lives, so when the witch lost her memories and reverted to her slave self, Lelouch is left alone to face the battle they had started together. But he still have her by his side. He just have to let himself get used to this side of her.
1. Chapter 1

Lelouch enters his quarters in Ikaruga and removes his Zero mask, taking great care in placing it on its shelf. Unclipping his cloak and hanging it in the closet, he loosens his collar and sits tiredly on the couch after a long day of planning and strategizing with Tohdoh and Ougi – his eyes automatically closing.

Despite having the emperor locked inside that system, Lelouch cannot fully relax on executing his plans especially when Nunnally is still not with him. As long as his younger sister is out there, Lelouch will continue to fight and destroy those who would attempt to endanger her well-being.

But still, it is a welcomed relief to have his enemies reduced. His greatest enemy to be removed.

"W-Welcome back, Master."

A soft, hesitant voice infiltrates his already resting mind. Opening his eyes, he finds C.C. standing beside the book shelf. She wrings her hands while waiting for an order from him. That's how she functions nowadays, through orders and commands and Lelouch finds it hard to accept that the once stubborn, selfish, willful witch had become someone who only lives if she is only told so. _Become. No, that is not the right word._ C.C. _returned_ to how she was before acquiring geass. And he is badly hoping that this wouldn't be permanent.

"C.C. how long have you been standing there?" he worriedly asks. She makes herself so small that he cannot feel her presence anymore.

"Since you left, Master."

Since he left? But that was three hours ago.

"Come here." With shaky legs, the girl slowly makes her way to him until she is standing beside Lelouch. "Sit down." She obeys.

"Why did you stay like that? You should have sat down or taken a nap," he gently tells her.

"I… I need to guard Master's belongings," is her simple answer.

Lelouch sighs. "I told you, no one can enter this room aside from me. Are you hungry?"

C.C. shakes her head. "Can I do anything for you? I can massage your back or your feet. Master seems tired."

It is a tempting offer but no, Lelouch cannot accept that from her. He cannot let her be more of a slave when she isn't anymore.

"I'm fine. I'll tell Sugiyama to cook some food for us."

"I can cook!" C.C. appeals at which Lelouch raises a brow. "... A little bit," she says weakly. "My former master said that the food I made were good enough to eat."

"As long as you're with me, you are not a slave, C.C. You are free to move however you wanted without orders. I am not your master so you can stop calling me that."

The girl gasps, her innocent golden eyes widening. "I can't do that, Master. Master is the kindest master I've ever had and I cannot disrespect you like that."

"C.C…."

"And Master even gave me a new unique name." She blushes.

In a different circumstance, he would have find the situation amusing – empowering even – for he had made the immortal witch blush, something she had never done during their stay together. But this is not her. And he hasn't come to terms if this side of hers is something he can get used to in the long run.

Suddenly, the intercom switches on making C.C. jump.

"Zero, this is Tohdoh. I have some papers that I need to consult with you."

Standing up, Lelouch retrieves his mask. Before wearing it, he motions for C.C. to hide behind the shelves.

The plan was to face Tohdoh and invite him to the conference room where they would discuss his problem. He has been keeping C.C. from the Black Knights for the meantime, telling them that she is sick. The current state of the witch is too delicate and vulnerable to be surrounded by the rowdy members particularly Tamaki.

But his plan immediately vanishes as soon as the door opens and Tamaki who is with Tohdoh, enters his quarters without any qualms and sits on the couch.

"Wow! So this is how it looks like in the inside. This is nice and comfortable. Yo, Zero, can we also have our own television in our rooms?"

"Tamaki," Lelouch warns.

"Zero, here is the plan for getting the viceroy and retrieving Kallen. I made some adjustments with the teams since we added more members."

Taking the papers from Tohdoh, Lelouch decides to conduct the meeting here in the fastest way possible. At the very least, he can monitor Tamaki's movements. He just hopes that C.C. is fine behind the shelves.

They gather around the center table with Lelouch examining Tohdoh's proposal.

"Actually," Tohdoh starts. "I'm also here to ask for clarification in another plan with C.C. Can she give us a little time to discuss it with her?"

"She's still not well. Let me see." The older man gives him another folder with the words 'Operation Pepperoni' printed at the cover. He smiles at the silliness.

"I can't believe that a bitch like her can get sick. Maybe her sassiness got the better of her."

Tamaki should be thankful that Lelouch's hands are full right now. Fortunately, Tohdoh has the initiative to reprimand his subordinate.

As Lelouch scans 'Operation Pepperoni', he realizes that he cannot decipher C.C.'s codes and terms. What does 'attack with hot sauce' mean? And this 'activate cheddar cheese'? Then another statement that says, 'hit with molten mozzarella'. Good gracious, what had the witch been doing whenever he was in school?

"Tohdoh, are you certain that this is the plan?" he asks.

The man looks at him seriously. "Yes. The first part was already executed without any trouble. Now we are on the second stage, but Tamaki lost the 'Definition of Terms' page," Tohdoh answers while glaring at Tamaki.

"Hey, it's not my fault that C.C. used those dumb codenames for that critical plan. If only she spoke like a normal human being, we won't be needing that page."

"Tamaki, could you lower your voice?" says Lelouch calmly.

But the rebel does not heed. "Where is she anyway? What is her sickness?"

"Shut up, Tamaki, and sit still," Tohdoh tells him. "So is it possible to talk to her? We are approaching the scheduled time for execution and we won't be able to begin without clarifying this matter."

Closing the folder and placing it on the side, Lelouch sees from his peripheral vision that Tamaki had stood up and is now inspecting the bookshelf.

"I'll just relay this to her when she wakes up. I'll also just send you my findings in the adjustments that you made." He stands up, ending their discussion quickly. "I'll see you – "

"Found you!"

Tamaki's boisterous voice catches their attention and when they turn to him, Lelouch finds him holding C.C. by her arm and dragging her out of her hiding place. C.C. whimpers and tries to resist the man's hold but she is just too weak against him. Without any thought, Lelouch approaches them and pulls Tamaki's hand away from her. He puts himself between them, completely hiding the trembling girl from his audience. Lelouch can clearly feel the fear and panic of the witch behind him.

"Enough of your childishness, Tamaki!" he shouts, stunning everyone.

Tamaki, realizing that he had gone too far and pissed off their commander, backs off. "H-Hey, I'm sorry, Zero. I was just messing with her. Yo, C.C.!" He jumps and tries to look over Lelouch's shoulder. "Hope you'll get well soon!"

"Let's go, Tamaki. I apologize for this scumbag, Zero. I'll wait for your assessment."

As soon as he is certain that the pair has left, Lelouch removes his Zero mask and turns around to check on C.C. The poor girl is cowering with her arms up infront of her. When Lelouch attempts to calm her down by touching her shoulder, the girl steps away from him. "I'm so sorry," she whimpers.

Gently, Lelouch grabs her wrist and slowly puts down her arm until he can clearly see her face. Eyes, turned down, lips in a frown, C.C. refuses to look at him. "They're gone now. And you didn't do anything wrong."

Finally meeting his eyes, C.C. nods and follows him to the couch. She worriedly eyes the papers and folders on the table while Lelouch makes a call to Sugiyama to bring them food. Upon doing so, he notices the reddish mark on C.C.'s skin where Tamaki had grabbed her. That dumbass. No wonder the witch was too afraid earlier.

As soon as their food arrives, Lelouch quickly devours his. He doesn't realize how hungry he is until he had a taste of Sugiyama's cooking. He is almost half into his food when he notices that C.C. isn't eating. He sighs. She still does not move on her own.

"It's okay. You can eat."

"Yes, Master."

She enthusiastically takes a scoop of the soup and her subtle squeal of delight does not escape Lelouch's ears.

"It's delicious, right?"

"Yes! I never had a food this delicious and much. Thank you, Master!"

Lelouch frowns at the thought. "Your former master didn't treat you well?"

She shakes her head as she chews on the meat. "They only let me eat two meals a day with very little amount. Mostly leftovers from their table."

"And what do you do for them?"

"Uhmmm. Everything. I clean the house in the morning. Feed the animals, wash them and their pens. Then I tend to the garden. On the weekends, I wash their clothes and beddings. Sometimes, they would bring me with them when they go hunting so I could take care of the carcass."

"Where do you sleep?"

"In the shed, together with the horses. Uhhh… uhmmm. They put chain around my ankle so I couldn't escape."

Lelouch remembers what he saw inside C.C.'s memory – a young girl, battered and weak trudging alone on the road, falling right infront of him. A young C.C. not knowing what her purpose on living but not wanting to die. C.C. who deep inside her heart just wanted to be loved and accepted by other people. For a person with a tragic childhood like hers, a genuine love from someone is the most precious gift she can ever receive.

"I promise you that you shall not experience those things in here," he declares. "You are free and you are your own person. You will sleep on the bed and eat as much as you want. You can tell me whatever you wanted to say and I will listen."

"L-Like a friend?" she asks innocently. Her round golden eyes looking up at him in wonder.

"Yes. Like a friend."

Another blush and a shy smile. "Thank you. You are my first friend, Master."

Lelouch does not know when he dozed off. He is just suddenly awakened from his nap by soft mumblings. Slightly opening his eyes, he realizes that he is still on the couch, though he is already lying down with a pillow under his head. He looks around for the source of the mumblings and finds C.C. sitting on the floor infront of the table, pen and paper in hand, trying to read the folders that Tohdoh brought earlier.

 _"I can read a little."_

Silently, Lelouch watches her as she struggles to read the words on the paper.

"Gef… Gefj… Gefyun… Gefjun dis…tur… ber. Gefjun disturber." She copies it on her paper.

"Hye… Hi…" Her brows furrow. "Hay? He… How do you read this?" she mumbles. "Hy… dro? Hydro… canon? What is that?" Scribble, scribble.

"K… K-N-I? Kn… Knight…mare. Knightmare."

"One, two, five, eight. One hundred two five eight. One twenty-five eight. One two hundred five eight." She frowns. "I don't know how to read this number. How can I help the mister if I don't know what he was talking about?"

 _Mister?_ Oh, she must be referring to Tohdoh. She must have heard that Tohdoh was looking for her earlier. So she is doing this to help him. Lelouch finds it quite considerate and adorable of her. _Adorable?_ He wants to laugh. He can't believe that he just used that word to describe C.C. That witch would have mocked him endlessly if she hears his thoughts. Ah, damn it. He can't believe that he is actually missing her.

When he wakes up again from another nap, he finds C.C. sleeping with her head on the table. Lelouch gets up and tries to shake her awake but the girl is so deep into dreamland. With no other choice, he puts his arm under her legs and carries her to their room, careful not to wake her up and caused another panic. He lays her down on the bed and covers her body with the blanket. Then, he exchanges his Zero outfit with a more comfortable white polo and pants and gets under the blanket with her.

As soon as his back hits the soft cushion, the stress for the day immediately evaporates making him groan in pleasure. A movement on his left makes him stiffen, afraid that he had awakened her. But no, the witch just moves nearer him and snuggles at his side like a child snuggling to her parent. She murmurs incoherently in her sleep with only the words, "Thank you, Master," as the audible ones.

Lelouch gazes at her peaceful face and recalls the fright and panic he had felt when he thought that C.C. was going to die. How his mind desperately searched for words to convince her not to leave him alone in this battle that they started together. He recalls the moment when realization dawned on him. That C.C. acted so cold during their confrontation at C's World so that he would hate her, so that he would leave her, so that he wouldn't get to have the curse of immortality just like what she did to her past contractors. They despised and left her after showing them glimpses of her past, hating her without knowing the truth. Because after all this time, she is just too soft-hearted. For a selfish and willful witch, C.C. has a heart as soft and fragile as a child.

And look where her stubbornness brought her. He does not know what she had done to get reverted to her slave self. Heck, he does not know if she still has the code or where her code is now. If she is still immortal. He carefully lifts up her bangs and gazes at her smooth blank forehead. Did Charles succeed on acquiring her code? Is she a normal human being now?

If so, then he cannot have her on the frontline of battle anymore. He cannot risk her getting hurt and injured, or worse getting killed. Lelouch closes his eyes. C.C. dying? That is such a foreign concept to him. No matter how many times he had seen her die over and over in her memories, he still cannot stomach the thought of her dying. That's why he always cautioned her whenever she would go out in a battle. It still hurt her, she had said. She could still feel pain despite being immortal. But now…

Ah, he cannot lose her now, can he? Be it the witch or the slave who is with him, he cannot lose C.C. He cannot imagine being alone in this fight. She had been a permanent fixture in his life now – his guardian, reason, conscience and even antagonist. His accomplice. She is his… what was he trying to say in C's World back then? He cannot remember.

When they finally get Nunnally back, he will find a safe place where she and C.C. could reside without being hurt by anybody. He had another person to take care of but he won't complain.

After all, C.C. had been taking care of him all this time. It is time to show his deep gratitude to her.

Before going to sleep, Lelouch whispers her real name, strands of her green hair move along his breath, and a gentle smile appears on her lips.


	2. Chapter 2

Lelouch has a brilliant idea.

In fact, this might be one of the best ideas he had ever come up with.

Why the hell did he not think about it sooner?

Why is it striking him just now?

At, it's because he had been busy with making plans on how to retrieve Nunnally and rescue Kallen that his mind didn't have the time to think of other important things, too.

But now, all the plans are set and ready to be executed. The people and resources are picked and prepared. They are only waiting for the right and precise opportunity to pull it off.

For the meantime, Lelouch is going to pay attention to the other things, or people for that matter, that he had somehow neglected while planning.

Perhaps, it is the way she slightly shivers whenever she passes by the part of the room where the air conditioner is placed. Or the way she tries to pull her short undershirt down as if she's trying to hide her bare stomach. Or maybe, it's the way she clumsily stumbles when she walks in those high-heeled boots.

Whatever the reason is, the important thing is that Lelouch had noticed it and now, he has the best idea ever. Wait, he had already mentioned that, right?

Placing the war book that he is reading on the desk, he asks the girl who is reading a fairytale book across him.

"Would you like to go out, C.C.?"

C.C. looks up at him with those wide innocent amber eyes that are starting to grow on him. "Out? I-Is it alright for me to go out, master?"

Gently plucking the book from her hands, he gives her a kind smile. "Of course it is. You've been stuck here for a while, haven't you? There are pretty places outside that I think you might enjoy. Plus, it will also be a good break for me from the non-stop meetings that I've been attending."

She perks up. "Oh, oh. Well, I would love to go out, master. But…" She looks down. "What would I wear?"

"You don't have to worry about that. I'll prepare your clothes while you take a shower. And speaking of clothes, we'll buy more for you during our outing."

Good, he was smooth with that.

Her cheeks turn adorably red as sparkles dance on her eyes. "Really? Am I allowed to have clothes, master?"

Lelouch frowns. He can't help but frown whenever C.C.'s past situation suddenly comes up in their conversations or in her gestures. It is evident that the younger her was mistreated enough that it caused her trauma and affected the way she talks and acts. It is in fact, sometimes unbelievable for him how this timid lady is the same witch who exudes nonchalance as if it is her second skin.

"You are allowed to do whatever you want."

Just like what he said, he prepares her clothes while C.C. takes a shower. He places the brown shirt, jacket, white skirt and black pants on their bed then he changes his own clothes, too. While waiting in the living room, he calls Ohgi and tells him to be in-charge of the Black Knights for a few hours.

"Uhmmm, I don't know if I am wearing this accurately."

C.C. stands shyly by the doorway, her hair still wet from the shower. She did wear the pants and shirt correctly, but the jacket was left hanging open.

"Let me button this up." Carefully, Lelouch fixes her attire. Afterwards, he makes her sit on the sofa where he blow dries her hair. He had been wondering what would happen if ever she gets a haircut. Her long, thick emerald hair is one of the causes why he loses sleep some nights. He would have a nightmare of being strangled only to see green hair strands wrapped around his neck when he wakes up. Or they would be haphazardly spread out to the point that they get inside his mouth which would cause him a coughing fit that will eventually lead to gagging. If C.C. would not be angry and take her revenge, he would have cut it by himself ages ago. But God knows what a witch's wrath can do.

But now… They can actually add a trip to the salon in their outing. He is certain that this C.C. would be delighted. Yet, the risk of her immortality acting out is huge. What if her hair regrows in just a matter of minutes? Or worse in a matter of seconds when they are still in the salon? He shakes his head. That is if her immortality is still there. Ah, damn it, he cannot afford to mess up just because of his childish musings.

After braiding her hair, he ties it up and secures it in a hat. They leave through the secret route to the Shinkiro to avoid the curious looks of the other members. C.C. follows him silently up to where the Knightmare is standing but a small gasp escapes her lips as she lays her eyes on the foreign machinery.

"W-What is that?"

He turns to her, grabs her wrist and together, they slowly approach Shinkiro. "It's a Knightmare. Don't you remember? That's what we rode to get back here."

"I was so afraid back then that I wasn't able to pay attention to my surroundings."

"I see. Well, this is a safe and fast means of transportation. You just sit behind me and I'll take us to town."

"Yes, master."

"Now, are you ready to see the modern world?"

This time, her hesitation is replaced by a giddy excitement showing the child in her. "Yes! Yes, I am!"

* * *

The sun is high and the sky is as clear as the untouched waters of a protected national park. It is a perfect day for an outing and it is proven by the amount of people that crowd the park and mall. Lelouch scrutinizes his surroundings, checking every face and corner for something suspicious enough that requires immediate action or worse, abandonment of the place. So far, everything seems pretty normal. He doubts that the Britannian army expects that Zero is having a date at this exact moment in the midst of the busy metropolis. But worst case scenario, he would have to utilize his geass and contact the Black Knights for back-up.

Wait.

Lelouch suddenly stops in his tracks, shocked and confused.

What did he just say? Date? Zero is having a _date_? He shakes his head. Outing, he is having an outing right now. Not a date. What a careless and wrong use of terminology. Plus, he would never go to a date with the witch. That even sounds hilariously impossible to him.

A soft force hits him from behind snapping him out of his strange thoughts.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

C.C. bumps into him when he suddenly stops walking and now she is rubbing her forehead. "I wasn't looking at where I am going. Please forgive me, master!" she quickly apologizes.

Curious looks are thrown at them and Lelouch has to grab her wrist to steer them away from the unwanted attention. "I told you not to call me 'master' in public."

"I'm sorry, ma - , I'm sorry, Le-Lelouch."

He sighs as he fixes the position of her hat on her head. "And never remove this, okay? Whatever happens, you will not expose your hair."

"Yes, Lelouch."

"And stay with me."

"I will stay with you."

"Okay, good. Let's go. Walk beside me where I can see you."

The walk to the entrance of the mall is filled with small gasps of amazement and suppressed squeals coming from his companion. Amused, Lelouch quietly observes as C.C. gets fascinated by the escalator as they step on it. How its slow movement upwards could already give her a tremendous amount of excitement and fascination. She even looks back at the moving stairs after they got off.

Lelouch learns that this C.C. possesses a curious eye. Curiosity about the people around her, curiosity about the place that she is currently in, curiosity about the things that surround her. Her horrible childhood must have played a big role in this characteristic of hers. Being locked in the stables and having limited and controlled allowed movements as a slave had deprived her of freedom and education.

Very much the opposite of her great indifference when she became an immortal.

Noticing that she is diligently looking at something, Lelouch says, "That is called an 'elevator'. We use it to go to the higher floors of the building."

"Elevator," she tries saying. "Elevator. And what we rode was an 'escalator'."

He nods. "That's right."

"And that one? What is it called?" She points ahead.

"That's a fire extinguisher. Anybody can use it when a sudden fire occurs in the building and the firemen haven't reached the area. But it's just a temporary way to stop the fire from spreading fast if it isn't small anymore so you need to immediately evacuate the area and find a place that is safe."

"Fire extinguisher. Firemen."

"And this is the mall's directory. You will just press the place that you would want to go and it will provide you directions. Here, press this boutique."

C.C. gently places her finger on top of the screen and the directions appear before them. She studies the lines – her eyes following each turn – and after a few seconds she looks up and says, "I think, we need to use the evetalor to go up to the fifth floor. Then from there, we would turn right and walk a few steps to reach it… Lelouch, are you alright? Why are you covering your mouth? Are you sick?"

She looks so worried that Lelouch has to look away briefly to compose himself. "No, I'm fine. What you said is correct."

He lets her take a few steps ahead of him before he finally follows.

Good grief, he wonders how he looked like earlier. He must have appeared red and constipated. But damn it, 'evetalor'? That was… Oh God, he can't believe this, he really is going to admit it. That was freaking cute. Cute like puppies and kittens. Like baby rabbits and dolphins. Cute like Nunnally. He shakes his head vehemently. No. No one can top Nunnally's cuteness. In general.

Damn it, he admits his defeat there.

Lelouch had expected the delight the boutique would bring to his companion as soon as they step in. Clothes of different styles and colors flood their eyes and the sense of triumph descends on him. This is his real intention. The main reason why he asked her to go to an outing with him. One of the peaks of his scheming mind. To buy clothes for C.C. so she would finally stop wearing that ugly white prison suit. Because despite that the new Black Knights uniform was the one she had been wearing more often before she lost her memories, there's still a great risk that she would return to sporting that white suit. He had bought her other clothes before but she just wore them once then conveniently forgot all about them as if they never existed. Those even costed him a lot of credits!

But now… Now, he is certain that his efforts won't go to waste. It's not that he is taking advantage of the situation… Okay, okay, he is indeed taking advantage of the situation BUT for good purposes. He just can't let her shiver all the time in their room, right? It's definitely not because he wanted to see her in other clothes. Nope. That's not one of the reasons.

"You can choose whatever you want, C.C."

The woman looks at him excitedly. She is already eyeing a red dress that hangs under the "Most Popular" section. "Can I get that one?" she shyly asks.

"Go ahead. Get what you like and then you can try it on to see what fits you."

"Okay!"

It takes them around fifteen minutes and six dresses before they finally proceed to the fitting area where Lelouch patiently waits at the lounge.

Not putting his guard down, he inspects the ceilings for CCTVs and bugging devices that the Britannian Army could possibly place. He wouldn't put it past them to tap a whole place in act of desperation to capture Zero. Though, it is not likely in places like this.

He gives Ohgi a short call to check on the situation at the base and if there are any updates regarding Nunnally and Kallen. The fact that he cannot fully disclose his relationship with Nunnally to the Black Knights and go all out in this rescue mission without them getting suspicious of him allows great limitations to his actions. If only the situation is different, he could have retrieved her for a long time now. But he cannot risk damaging the organization's trust in him at this critical stage. No, he still needs them and they need him.

"Uhmmm… Ma – I mean, Lelouch?"

Lelouch looks up from his phone and finds C.C. peeking between the curtains.

"What is it?" he inquires.

The girl's gaze drops to the floor and a red tint tainted her cheeks. "I cannot reach my back and I don't know how the thing behind me works. If it would be alright…"

But he is already walking towards her and in a matter of seconds, they are inside the changing cubicle and he is zipping the back of her dress and tying the ribbon.

"Thank you."

"Come, see yourself in the mirror."

The wonder in C.C.'s amber eyes are that of a child who gets her very first pet. With awe, her gaze travels from her head to toe and back up. She does a slow twist to check her back, sweeping her long braided hair on her right shoulder.

"What do you think?"

C.C. looks at him through the mirror. "I… I didn't expect it to be this short," she answers as she pulls the skirt down to her knees. The red dress is one that is made of soft, flowy material with sleeves that reached her elbows. The skirt however, only reaches the middle of her thighs. It has a rounded collar and a little black ribbon that is tied at the back.

Crossing his arms, Lelouch tilts his head to the side as he makes his own inspection. "You don't like it?"

"No! I mean, I do like it. I really do. But… Is it decent for me to wear something this short?"

The witch talking about decency regarding the way she wears her clothes? Now, this is something new to him. And something that he had been hoping the witch had before. For all of those times they had stayed in their room, she would carelessly change infront of him, or wear just her undergarments despite how many times he had scolded her to wear something decent. What if Sayoko accidentally see her walking out of his room in just her underwear? Imagine the stain in _his_ reputation that it would leave and not in hers.

It comes with living for a very long time, she had said back then. Her sense of following the society's standards had already disappeared. After all, these standards always change and she does not so why bother herself of living up to someone's expectations who wouldn't stay for a long time, she added.

He was just asking her to wear more clothes which was a basic human instinct, he had countered after the deep litany that she made out of such an uncomplicated concern.

Good thing she was far from being human, she concluded with a smirk.

There's really no winning against her when they get into an argument. A feeling of wistfulness shrouds him like a cold breeze in autumn. Ah he misses their nonsense bickering.

"If you are not comfortable with it, then you are free to not wear it."

Brows furrowed, C.C.'s eyes lock on the posters behind them that have models wearing short dresses. Then she glances at the other customers who are trying on their set of clothes. Breathing out, a tinge of confidence mirrors in her eyes. "Perhaps, I can try," she whispers without taking her eyes off them.

At the end, they manage to get her three new dresses, a pair of shirt and pants, and a pair of shoes to match the dresses.

Lelouch is ecstatic with the turn of events. He can finally say goodbye to that white prison suit _for a while_. When they arrive back in Ikaruga, he will make sure to keep it at the deepest part of their closet where she cannot find it.

"Are we going to ride the evetalor again?"

He holds the paper bags tightly and clears his throat. "Yes, we are."

"Are you certain that you are not sick?"

"I am certain. Hey, why don't we eat something before leaving?" he says changing the subject.

They settle in a fast food chain where they eat burgers that definitely pique C.C.'s interest again.

"This is an amazing kind of bread. It has a lot of spices and fillings. In my old master's house, most of the breads were hard and had tasted bland, or those were what they gave me. But this is different and a lot of people of can buy it."

"There had been various innovations made to increase the value of our lifestyle, particularly in the food industry," explains Lelouch. "Nowadays, you can eat decent foods in affordable prices because the economical side of the industry are being considered, too. Food businesses not only focus on those who are rich, but they mainly target middle-class men that composed most the population."

C.C. blinks at him.

He clears his throat. "It's delicious, right?"

""Yes… Yes, it is."

Before leaving the mall, they go to a book store where Lelouch purchases a few story books for C.C. Finally, they arrive back in Ikaruga tired but full and refreshed. And for Lelouch's side, accomplished. Ohgi immediately reported to him and thankfully, the report is nothing to worry about.

And that day ends on a very positive note as far as Lelouch is concerned.

* * *

The next day, after finalizing the plans with Tohdoh and Ohgi, Lelouch finds himself humming as he enters his room. He is excited. This is the first time that C.C. will wear something different and pleasant. He had left when she was still sleeping so he didn't have the chance to see her attire for the day earlier. Now, he wonders what she chose.

He opens the security lock of the door.

He steps inside, a smile behind his mask.

The living room is vacant except for Cheese-kun who is sitting on the sofa.

But he can hear soft mumblings somewhere as if someone is reading.

Removing his mask, he follows the sound and immediately stops on his tracks as soon as his eyes lay upon her. His mouth hanging.

"Welcome back, master!" C.C. cheerfully greets.

"C…. C.C…. What are you wearing?"

The girl glances down at her usual pair of white undergarments.

"Why aren't you wearing the clothes that we bought yesterday?"

"Oh… Oh! I thought to just wear them when there is a special occasion or when we have to go out again…" He thinks he is going to have a headache. "… And it would be a waste to wear them here while I am cleaning. They're so pretty, I might just ruin them and that would be such a disrespect to master." Yes, he is having a headache now.

C.C. shyly gestures to her undergarment. "So I think, I might stay in these for a while. After all, they are comfortable, too."

Lelouch closes his eyes.

He cannot believe it. He cannot believe this.

Of all the things that will remain from her witch alter ego, it has to be her sense of clothing.

"Master, are you alright?" she worriedly asks just like yesterday.

And this time, he answers, "No, I think I'm not feeling well."

* * *

 **Hi! So I decided to make this a compilation of stories about amnesiac C.C. Each story can be considered as a stand-alone and these stories are not uploaded in a chronological order. However, this compilation does not have a fixed schedule for publishing new chapters.**

 **I hope you enjoy it and thank you very much for the positive reception for Chapter One. Really appreciate all your reviews. Have a nice day!**


	3. Chapter 3

It was just a nightmare.

A terrible, terrifying, nightmare.

A nightmare that isn't his to have.

Lelouch blinks at the darkness shrouding their room. His chest rises in deep fits like a man who just finished running a marathon. A trail of sweat runs down his left cheek, reminding him that he is back in reality. Out of harm's way. Out of danger. But he wasn't even the one who was in danger. It was…

He glances to his left and finds the serene face of the sleeping girl too close to his. Her mouth is slightly open and her long lashes flutter as she breathes. Her breath touches his face. Alive.

Yet, he can still feel it. The burning heat of the flames. The pain of having stones thrown at you. The inhumane tightness of the rope around her body to ensure that she wouldn't be able to escape. Her cries of help and agony.

He already had these kinds of dreams occasionally ever since he saw her past back when they were in Kamine Island. Random nights he would wake up panting, sweaty, with the tendrils of C.C.'s 'deaths' still floating in his mind like smoke. Like a ghost. But not in this intensity. Back then, he was always somehow comforted by the fact that C.C. was with him – an eternal witch who had survived those atrocities and managed to find her way to him. He was always comforted by the fact that she would always be there whenever he needed or called her. He was always comforted by the fact that she was his only constant in this path of uncertainty and betrayal he had chosen to walk.

But lately, he has been having nightmares every night after they escaped from C's World. After he had seen C.C.'s very first death. After she had lost her memories.

After he was reminded that before those 'temporary deaths', there was a time when her heart did stop beating, when those stab wounds brought her unbearable pain enough to leave a scar under her breast.

And now, with her immortality in question and her personality reversed, this unknown fear of permanently losing her had made its way to his consciousness. Even when he is unconscious.

And he can't afford to bear this feeling when he still has priorities to undertake – priorities that include Nunnally. But still, when he attempts to close his eyes and resume his eventful sleep, those vivid images of his nightmares come back to him like an unwanted visitor.

It is strange how his mind would make up scenarios, almost complete stories surrounding her 'deaths' when he only had short glimpses of them before. And it is cruel how he can remember all of it when you're supposed to forget about your dreams.

 _This time, seemingly several centuries before the current era, they were in the countryside of Italy where religion was a way of life and witchcraft was a taboo equivalent to blasphemy and death of the accused. They were staying in an abandoned stone house in the middle of the woods where locals deemed was dangerous to explore for its thick greenery and wild boars._

 _It wasn't clear how long they had been staying in the place nor the reason why they were in Italy but it had felt to him that they were already overstaying and anytime, the villagers would kick them out with their axes and rakes. The trees outside seemed taller and more haunting than they were here for the first time – as if they knew that they had exceeded their accommodation, as if they knew that they were a disrespect to the beliefs of their land._

 _C.C. coolly added a wood to the small fireplace. Lelouch was by the table watching his companion keep the place warm as winter began to approach. The atmosphere was heavy. There was a suffocating feeling in Lelouch's heart that he couldn't define. He observed that his brows were furrowed and his lips were in a frown as he looked at C.C. And C.C. seemed to be ignoring him. A fight? Over what? A vague scenario of him scolding her for recklessly going outside that morning came to his mind._

 _And just like every dream, the story was already set up, the characters were planted, dialogues were written with only him aware of his course of actions._

" _You're the one who insisted on not going outside as much as possible, yet you broke your rule first thing in the morning," his dream self had said._

 _Those amber eyes glanced at him with coldness that could rival the freezing weather before they returned to watching the woods burn. "We're running out of woods," she answered simply._

" _Then you should have woke me up and let me get them. The villagers are already suspicious of you. I heard them talking about burning witches at stake. It does not help the fact that the king will bestow a big reward to someone who will catch a witch and your name had emerged many times among those talks."_

"My _name?" Amusement and mockery tinged her voice._

" _Clarence," he uttered, annoyed._

 _Of course, it was not her real name. This was the name chosen for this era, for this place, for this lifetime. And it felt wrong on Lelouch's tongue despite how holy and innocent it sounded._

 _C.C. just shrugged. As she rose from where she was crouching, he noticed the dampness at the edge of her brown peasant dress. He sighed._

" _The boars could kill you."_

" _I can defend myself."_

 _She raised an eyebrow at his statement. "But you cannot outrun them."_

 _A glare was what he could only answer because she was right. He decided to make some warm soup for the both of them instead of continuing the senseless argument that would only lead to him getting madder and her getting colder._

 _And just like in every realm of dreams, time was just an illusion. Suddenly, it was dark outside. The sun was replaced by the mourning moon and birds with weeping crickets. The temperature dropped so much lower that Lelouch and C.C. huddled together on their small bed with layers of blankets cocooning them. Tonight, it didn't matter if his face was buried at the crook of her neck, or if his arms were tightly wound around her narrow waist. It was too frigid for a skinny human like him. Their lack of supplies for the cold weather was a problem that wouldn't be getting solved soon. For now, C.C.'s immortal warmth was the best source of heat that he could ever get and he was silently thankful that she let him. He was grateful when she unconsciously tightened her arms around him and pulled him closer to her body, effectively lessening the coldness of their surroundings. If only they could be as peaceful as this when they were awake._

 _All of a sudden, a noise outside the cabin caught his attention. Lelouch held his breath as he tried to listen and decipher the noise. He felt C.C. lift her head from the top of his hair as she, too, was aware of the commotion outside._

 _In a blink of an eye, they were on their feet, blankets haphazardly thrown at the floor. Lelouch picked up their bags while C.C. gathered anything that could pose as a weapon. A knife, a ladle, a stray wood, then they're out of the cabin through the back door, blindly running through the dark forest._

" _There they are! There's the witch!"_

 _From his peripheral vision, Lelouch saw men carrying torches and axes, rakes and even bows and arrows. An arrow flew past him hitting the tree ahead. He felt the phantom sting on his cheek as it almost grazed his skin._

" _Faster, Lelouch!" C.C. whispered-shouted._

 _He was trying his best – trying to muster all of the speed that he could. He concentrated on making his legs move faster and his breaths deeper but they both knew that running was not his forte and he would only slow their escape down._

" _Go ahead!" he gasped. "They won't hurt me. They know that I am human."_

 _All of a sudden, she stopped running and walked back to him. "Nonsense."_

" _You're an idiot," he countered. "Take this opportunity to be ahead of them." From their place, the hunters were just glows of gold misted by the fog. But they were fast approaching._

 _C.C. got the heavy bags from him and handed him the wood and ladle. Lelouch was insulted by his lack of capacity to help themselves but he knew that in this way, they would have a greater chance of escaping._

 _They resumed running, completely depending their navigation through sounds and feelings. The moonlight was hidden by the leaves and the ground was wet from the fog._

" _Catch the witch! She causes famine in our land, sickness in our children! Catch her and present her to the king who will punish her through burning!"_

" _Burn the witch! Burn the witch! Burn the witch!"_

 _Another arrow missed them by an inch. The footfalls behind them were quickly getting nearer. Smoke floated to their direction and all Lelouch could think of was 'They're going to burn her'. He thought of this as his eyes focused on the green tresses of her hair and he was terrified. He remembered how warm she was earlier. She was warm enough. No need to heighten her body temperature anymore. No need to burn her alive. Her warmth kept him alive._

 _Suddenly, his companion yelped and was on the ground. Panicking, Lelouch thought that she was hit by an arrow._

" _C.C.!"_

" _I'm fine!"_

 _When he got to her place, he discovered that her dress was caught by a twig causing her to stumble backward. They tried pull the cloth away but the twig was unbelievably clingy and sturdy._

" _The knife."_

 _But before Lelouch could retrieve the knife from his pocket, four men jumped from the branches._

 _A trap! Slowly, the pieces came together and Lelouch realized that the villagers chased them down to this direction where other villagers waited for them to pass and ambush them. Damn it! He didn't see that coming._

" _There's nowhere else for you to run," the big bushy man said._

 _Lelouch tried to reach for C.C. but suddenly, he found himself hostage by none other than his trusted companion._

 _He struggled from the choke hold that was suppressing air to his lungs. C.C. was much stronger than him, but she was incredibly strong at this moment. "C…"_

 _She covered his mouth with her hand, something entered his throat. A knife was on his neck._

" _Don't go any further or else I'll kill him," she threatened the men._

 _What was she doing? He hit her arm but she only ignored him. He couldn't honestly breathe._

" _So the rumors are true. You are a true witch, Miss Clarence," said their leader who Lelouch could barely make out as Mr. Russo. "Your youthful beauty, being immune from the deadly disease," his eyes widened, "You're the one who caused the disease! You cursed our children!"_

" _I didn't!"_

 _The arm around his neck was trembling. Damn it, C.C. let him go so that he could talk to them! Curse it, his sight was dimming! He's getting dizzy!_

 _The crowd slowly closed around them, their weapon held up in the air ready to attack._

" _And you even held that boy captive! Let the poor boy go!"_

 _Captive? No, he wasn't a captive. Tell them, C.C.!_

" _I said don't go any further or I'll kill him," she warned._

 _His head was swimming. Was it because of her arm? No, her hold had loosened, almost like a friendly grip, then why was he feeling dazed? Why was he feeling sleepy? Something… Something's not right. He had missed something else._

 _He looked up at her and tried to get her attention but she's too focused on taunting the villagers._

" _C.C…."_

 _Black._

* * *

" _Oh, he's awake!"_

 _It was the wooden ceiling that Lelouch's saw first. Then a friendly face of an older woman blocked his view. "Are you alright now, young lad? How are you feeling?"_

 _Lelouch gingerly rose from the bed, his head still aching dully from whatever happened to him the night before. Night before… He looked out the window. The sun was shining high in the sky._

" _What happened? Where am I?" he asked._

" _The men saved you from the witch."_

" _Saved? Witch?" He cleared his throat. A cup of water suddenly appeared infront of him and he gratefully drank it._

" _It was a chaos last night in the woods. The men, led by Mr. Russo set off to capture the witch. I believe that you knew her well, and we all believed that you've been under her spell for a long time now. Do not fret now, dear, you are safe here with us."_

" _W-What are you talking about?"_

 _The woman gazed at him with pity. "At first, we thought that you were working with her, an apprentice. The men were very determined to capture the both of you and present you before the king. But when Clarence pointed a knife on your neck, it was clear that you were also a victim. Good thing – "_

" _Where is she?"_

" _Oh, who?"_

" _Clarence?" he spat._

" _She's taken to the plaza. I believe, they are already at the last part of the preparations for the ceremony."_

" _Ceremony?"_

 _And as soon as he heard the answer, Lelouch was out of her house and running off to the plaza._

* * *

" _They're going to burn her at the stake tonight."_

 _Those words echoed inside his head as he navigated the narrow alleys and sudden turns of the streets. C.C. put something inside his mouth last night which put him to sleep. Then she performed that stupid act of taking him hostage in order to save him. Damn it! Damn it all to Hell!_

 _He briefly glanced up and found that the sun had already disappeared. How far was that woman's house from the plaza? Why did this street seem endless?_ Because you're in a dream, Lelouch.

 _Suddenly, he was infront of the plaza. Suddenly, there's a big crowd chanting, "Burn her! Burn her! Burn her!" and throwing stones forward._

 _Suddenly, Lelouch was being swallowed by the raucous villagers, their spits on his neck, their elbows hitting his gut._

 _Suddenly, she was infront of him, body tied against a tall pole, dozens of logs sitting at her feet._

" _Burn her! Burn her! Burn her!"_

" _C.C.!" he desperately called. "C.C.!" But she didn't hear him. There was an alarming blankness in her amber eyes, as if she had already surrendered. As if she had already accepted her fate._

" _C.C.!" He tried to break free from the human barrier infront of him but they were too tight, too strong, too impossible to break and he panted there feeling helpless and worthless._

 _A gong sounded from afar. Then two men carrying lighted lamps entered the grounds._

 _No._

 _Stop._

" _Here is the witch who brought tragedy to our land! Who preyed on our children, who killed our crops, who stole our energies! She brought rains that caused floods and heat that burned houses! Finally, we captured her so we can bring an end to this curse!"_

" _Kill her!"_

" _Burn her!"_

" _No! Stop!"_

 _But his shouts fell on deaf ears. Without any warning, the two men threw the lamps to the logs and almost immediately, flames burst from them, tonguing C.C.'s dress, grazing her pale skin._

 _As if snapping from the state of dazedness, C.C,'s eyes widen like marbles as she realized what was happening around her. Her amber eyes painfully mirrored the orange flames beneath her. She began thrashing, stomping, and throwing her head in every direction._

 _Her dreadful cries reverberated in the open air and Lelouch throat was raw from shouting, his palms and fists wounded from trying to fight the people blocking his way._

 _Someone stop this already._

 _Someone help them._

 _Then he saw it. The flames scourged her dress, her legs, her arms._

 _Her hair._

 _Her long emerald hair that had been his comfort during lonely nights and cold summers._

 _Crumbling into dust._

 _Green turned to black._

 _Black just like the rest of her body._

 _He's going to vomit but he couldn't take his eyes off her._

 _No._

 _This wasn't happening._

 _Someone… just someone._

 _Then, he found himself tied at his own stake. Fires of Hell burning his skin. The people cursing his name._

" _It's alright, it's going to end soon."_

 _He glanced at his left and saw C.C. burning beside him. Yet there was a serene look on her face._

" _You're going to get used to it," she said calmly. "You're going to wake up with your body intact as if nothing happened. Then, you'll set off to another faraway place to find the death that you've been longing for."_

 _He shook his head. He couldn't speak. The fire was devastating his body._

" _But it's still painful, isn't it? The pain remains the same."_

 _He blinked and her eyes turned dead. He blinked and the people were gone, the sun was high in the sky, his body intact._

 _He blinked and C.C.'s body remained charred and ashes._

He blinked and he was in their room in Ikaruga, escaping another nightmare.

And C.C. is sleeping soundly beside him like a child cuddling her mother.

He tries to calm his racing heart as quietly as possible but…

"Master? Are you alright?"

Her sleepy voice is something he wholeheartedly welcomes to his ears, so opposite of her agonized one in his dream.

Clearing his throat, he tells her, "I'm fine. I just had a nightmare."

She rubs her eyes and her golden irises catch the little light in their room. "I had them, too sometimes. When I wasn't able to eat for a day, or after my former master hit me," she shrugs.

A wrinkle formed between his brows as he listens to her words. "Then what do you do to avoid the nightmares?"

"You can't. You'll just get used to it."

" _You're going to get used to it."_

Lelouch closes his eyes as those words come back to him. Goddamn it, no one should get used to it. Nightmares, pain, and death. No one innocent should get used to them.

"But having someone by your side when you wake up helps wash away your fears."

He peeks at her. "Huh?"

"Uhmm…" she glances down briefly then back up at him. "When you find that you're not alone, that there is someone you can depend on, the fear eventually vanishes."

He turns towards her as he lies on his side. "Do you have someone like that in the past?"

"Well… The cows and horses made me feel protected and sheltered. The chicks, too. Sometimes, their feathers would tickle my skin waking me up from a nightmare," she says shyly.

"Are you still having nightmares now?"

"Ever since I am with Master, I don't have nightmares anymore. Perhaps, it's because you have been kind to me. And… And the bed is soft."

Lelouch nods. "I see."

"So, if ever master had another nightmare, I am here to accompany you until the fear fades away."

He smiles down at her. Amnesia or not, there are still some aspects of her that didn't change. "I know."

She yawns.

That night, he lets his guard down infront of this C.C. He buries his face in the crook of her neck and wraps his arms around her narrow waist just like how it was in his dream. He startles her, but she makes no fuss about it and instead, envelopes him in her warm embrace. She places her chin on top of his head. He inhales.

And they lie there, arms-in-arms, providing warmth and comfort to each other. He listens to her heart beat as a soft hum escapes her lips. A lullaby. And finally, he falls back to a dreamless sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

She feels proud of herself.

She carefully followed each curve and stroke of the letters in the alphabet book. 'B' and 'R' were a bit tricky with their straight and curve lines. 'G' is somehow enjoying to do particularly the little straight line that looks like an afterthought. 'M' looks like a crown so she likes that, too. 'S' is a snake, an animal she had never seen personally before. She used a lot of 'A's' she wonders if it is alright. But overall, her letter seems understandable to her. She had a hard time spelling words, especially the long and complicated words. The ones that twist her tongue when she tries to utter them. But she uses the fairytale books as a guide to her writing. And if she can understand it, surely Master would understand it, too.

She smiles and hums as she writes her signature. 'C.C.', a name that looks like two right ears and something that is easy to write.

Perhaps, she should add that to her letter. Another thing to thank Master for. But C.C. frowns at the blue paper on the table. Words occupy the entire sheet and it's impossible to add more thoughts. There's a little space in between her signature and the last line of the letter yet any additional word would overlap with the drawing she had put there.

She sighs. There's nothing she can do about it but to just say her gratitude to him later. Just thinking about talking to him makes her nervous and excited at the same time.

Master is the kindest master she ever had. And the youngest, too. Most of her past masters were big old men who shouted at her with their thunderous deep voices and who hit her with their callous thick hands. Sometimes, they were women whose eyes looked at her with disdain and whose children pull at her hair.

But Master Lelouch is different. This place is different from what she had known. She couldn't remember how she had come to this place, this time, this era. One thing C.C.'s certain of is that as long as she is with Master, she is safe. She doesn't need to worry about being shouted at or hit as soon as she wakes up in the morning. She doesn't have to worry about shackles scraping her ankles. The bed is soft unlike the damp, muddy land. Here, everything is bright and comfortable. She does not shiver when it's cold because a blanket is always within reach. And oh, most importantly, she can eat freshly-cooked food.

Food! She never skips a meal here but Master does especially when he is too busy. C.C. does not know what he does outside but whenever he returns in their quarters, he is always tired and drained.

After folding her letter into two, she places it under one leg of the table, certain that Master would not be able to find it there. Rising from the floor, she wanders to the door and tries to remember the button he always presses for it to open. She lets out a little yelp as soon as the door slides open. Stepping out of the quarters, her heart thuds loudly in her chest as her hesitant eyes survey the corridor. Oh what is she doing? Master strictly told her not to come out of their room unless he is with her or it is deemed necessary by the situation. But... But she also heard yesterday, while he was in the control room and she was cleaning the shelves, that he and the team would be going on a mission today leaving this place almost empty. So she doesn't have to worry about someone else seeing her.

C.C. has been several steps away from the door when she realizes that she doesn't have an inkling of an idea where the kitchen is. She stops on her track and thinks. Infront of her is a long corridor of gray walls which turns left by the corner. Meanwhile, behind her is a shorter route which bends to the right. No sign can be seen to guide her of the right way.

She takes the longer route.

It takes her a few more minutes than necessary, a bunch of wrong turns and dead ends, and almost collision with a couple of people before she finally ends up infront of a door with the sign 'Kitchen' plastered on it. Knocking, she patiently waits for the door to open.

And waits.

And waits.

And waits with her hands clasped behind her.

She waits while humming an unknown tune.

She patiently waits until she catches a glimpse of a black button on the wall and softly laughs upon realizing that she has to press it, too, just like how it works in their quarters.

"I said no one will come here until I am – oh, it's you."

A man with long teal hair and brown eyes stands infront of the stove with a metal ladle in hand, wearing a white apron. C.C. falters upon learning the presence of an unknown person who seems to know her.

"Uhm, good day, mister," she greets with a tentative voice.

The man cocks his head to the side and stares at her strangely. "What do you need, C.C.? Do you want pizza? You don't have to act cutely in order to get it," he laughs yet it's obvious that he is nervous. Why he is nervous, C.C. doesn't know and she dares not to ask when awkwardness begins to settle on them.

"No, I'm not here for that. Uhm," she gulps, "I was thinking of making a meal for Master so that he would have something to eat when he returns."

"Master?"

"Zero! I mean Zero!" Her voice shrills as she tries to correct her mistake and hide her embarassment. Master always reminds her not to say unnecessary things infront of other people to avoid misinterpretation and first on the list is not to call him 'Master'. But she cannot help it. Not when all her life, she had been under the mercy of someone more superior. Although, this time, calling Lelouch 'Master' is more of a sign of respect and gratitude rather than being the definition of their status.

The man nods thoughtfully, as if understanding the whole situation. "So you are into _that kind_ of things, huh. Maybe Tamaki is right after all. You're truly Zero's mistress. But I never imagine that he would be into roleplaying."

At this, C.C. blushes so deeply that she has to hide her face behind her long hair. Keeping her mouth shut, she decides not to respond to avoid worsening the situation.

"Anyway, do you know how to cook?"

"I do... A little."

"Hmmm. I can let you prepare the ingredients and stir the soup but I'll be the one in-charge. I can't let you ruin Zero's stomach especially now that we are in the middle of an important mission."

"I'll do my best!"

Cooking is a basic knowledge to her - something that she had learned on her own in order to survive her harsh lifestyle. Yet, with limited resources and experience, C.C's knowledge of the task is just how it is, basic. So when the man instructs her to chop several vegetables and meat in specific thickness, when he teaches her how to use the 'egg beater' (which took a couple of failed attempts on her part, but amazing nonetheless), and when he let her have a taste of the soup (a soup that tasted something she never had before with flavors exploding deliciously in her mouth causing her to squeal and the man to look at her in alarm), cooking for C.C. becomes something sacred and a skill that should be a necessity for everyone.

She expresses her overwhelming gratitude to the man by raining him with overflowing praises which obviously made him embarrassed.

Back in their quarters, she places the bowl and utensils on the table where she was writing a while ago. Retrieving the letter, she puts it beside the soup.

She is actually excited.

She had written a nice letter (at least it is nice according to her standards) and had helped in cooking a delicious meal for him. And admittedly, the journey to the kitchen is quite fun and enjoyable as well. All those twists and turns reminded her of when she was transported to a new town and she had another chance to explore its beauty and secrets.

She seriously hopes that Master would like her little surprise. And hopefully, he comes back soon before the soup gets cold. She sits on the couch, back straight and hands on her knees as she waits for the door to open. Minutes passed by and still, no one and not even a commotion outside signals his arrival.

C.C. sighs. Well, it looks like he won't be returning soon. Might as well do something productive. Glancing around, she catches a sight of a black box lying on the desk. She tilts her head. What did Master call it? Laptop? Master said that it is an important tool for his job - something that he cannot afford to malfunction. She goes to the desk and examine the thing. It looks dusty. She frowns. Those dusts, if left unattended could accumulate and destroy the laptop. There's another object that lies beside it and she recalls it being called as 'remote'. Dusts cling on her finger when she touches it. She looks around the room and gathers everything that is dirty and dusty and brings them to the bathroom where she washes them with soap.

And she does this all with a smile on her face, giddy with the idea that she is helping Master even in her own little way.

* * *

The mission is neither a succcess nor a failure. They were able to survey the building where Nunnally is staying and study the secret passages and security lapses that they can use to their advantage, yet they still couldn't put the plan in motion. With Kallen and the Guren out of the picture, this mission would be a lot harder to execute than their previous ones. He can still utilize Rolo's geass for on-ground operations, in fact, he thinks of having him lead the team that will retrieve Nunnally and after that, he can finally bid farewell to his fake younger brother.

But they definitely couldn't avoid air combats with the Britannians and that's where they needed Kallen. Not that he doubts Tohdoh and the other's ability to fight, but Kallen's piloting skill surpasses everyone's exponentially, plus there is a great chance for Suzaku to appear. Damn it. He couldn't afford to let more time pass by. The emperor might be gone but Cornelia and Schneizel are still in the picture. As of now, they are probably already planning countermeasures against the Black Knights. Countermeasures that may involve using Nunnally against him.

He won't let that happen. He must outsmart them before they can outsmart him. And this could have all been easier, even without Kallen, if C.C. is in her normal self. The witch has a sharp sense in laying down all possible scenarios that could make or break their missions. Admittedly, her cynical views in life (no matter how annoying they were sometimes) always led her to ask questions which answers he had overlooked with some resulting to be vital components for their success.

All these musings in his head and he doesn't notice that he has already arrived infront of their quarters. He sighs. He can't wait to get his hands on his laptop and revise their plan according to their survey. Pressing the button, the door opens and Lelouch mindlessly enters the quarters.

First thing he sees is C.C. coming out of their room. Huh, did she just wake up from a nap? He did tell her earlier to take a rest while he was away.

"Welcome back, Master!" she greets cheerfully.

Lelouch removes his mask and bestows her a tired smile. "Thank you, C.C." He trudges towards the desk as C.C. runs to the center table.

Behind him he hears her say, "Master, I prepared something for you. I hope it will ease away your tiredness..."

Where is his laptop? He swears he left it on top of this desk but now it's gone.

"... And also as a sign of my gratitude for your kindness. Well... I didn't actually cook it. That man in the kitchen helped me..."

"C.C., where is my laptop?" he asks as he turns around.

"Huh? Oh, it's in the bathroom!"

"Bathroom?"

The girl enthusiastically nods as she explains everything to him. "I washed it together with your other things because they were all dusty. Uhm, I used soap to clean them thoroughly."

"Other things?"

His mind is going blank.

"Yes, Master. I also washed the remote, the alarm clock, the thing you use that produces light, and - "

"YOU WASHED THEM?!"

C.C. flinches at the thunder of his voice but he pays no mind as he rushes to the bathroom and no, no, no. There they are - his laptop, the remote, everything that she had mentioned - on top of the sink, dripping wet.

No, no, no. There's even his spare phone. This couldn't be happening. All of his plans are in there.

"Master, are you alright?" is the frightened question of his companion.

"What have you done?" he asks in a low voice.

He can feel it, the intense anger building up inside him, boiling in his core, desperate for an outlet. Slowly, he turns around and glares at her. He is angry. He is goddamn angry. He is so angry that he is blind of her fear. All he can see is the amount of time that he has to dedicate again in recreating the blueprints and in drafting the plans. All he can see is Schneizel and Cornelia defeating the Black Knights and completely taking Nunnally away from him. All he can see is Nunnally being taken away from him.

So he is angry, and there is only one person in the room who unfortunately has to receive that anger.

"I SAID 'WHAT HAVE YOU DONE'?! Didn't I tell you to not do anything while I was away? These contained all of my important files and you ruined them all! You ruined my plans!"

"I... I didn't k-know."

"And did you say that you went to the kitchen earlier? I TOLD YOU NOT TO LEAVE THIS ROOM. WHY CAN'T YOU FOLLOW MY ORDERS?"

"I'm sorry! Master, please f-forgive me! I'm really s-sorry!" she cries.

"Get out of my sight!"

He turns around without waiting for C.C.'s reply and gathers his things. In the living room, he dries them with a blower despite knowing the fact that his efforts are futile. Damn it, damn it, damn it! Of all the times! Of all the problems! Goddamn it!

He slumps on the couch when the laptop fails to reboot. Useless. His breaths come deep and ragged as he tries to calm himself. He must be calm and think with a clear head. Think, Lelouch, think! Don't let anger cloud your thoughts. Think of solutions! You're already running out of time.

And that's when the answer hits him. Immediately, he sprints to the other side of the quarters and presses a button on the wall. As soon as the door opens, Lelouch enters the control room and quickly goes to the main computer. There, he searches every keyword possible that may connect him to the files he needed. That's right, he remembers making a back up in case of emergencies. And there they are.

He stands infront of the large monitor as the computer scans and lists folders and folders of information. He can actually physically feel a thorn being removed from his chest and he'd never been this relieved since the emperor disappeared.

There they are. There are his files. All in tact and complete. He almost kisses the floor for this rare luck that has happened to him. Looks like there's still a god after all.

Without wasting any time, he sits on the chair and begins making adjustments to the mission. The sound of technology and clicking keyboards become his companion for a couple of hours until finally, _finally_ , the plan is perfect for execution.

* * *

Manpower? Checked.

Strategy? Checked.

Resources? Checked.

Tricks? Checked.

Execution? 99% probability of being successful.

Lelouch leans back on the chair, his stomach growling. He got so carried away that he forgot to eat. Leaving the control room, a bowl on the table quickly catches his attention.

Huh, he can't remember asking Sugiyama for food.

 _"Master, I prepared something for you. I hope it will ease away your tiredness..."_

Right, she said that a while ago in the midst of his panic. As he opens the cover, his mouth waters at once upon catching the whiff of the soup's flavor. But this will be more delicious if eaten warm.

Sugiyama arrives outside the quarters after Lelouch called for his presence. The teal-haired man is surprised when Zero handed the bowl back to him.

"Will you reheat this for me?"

Sugiyama lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. I thought you didn't like it."

Zero just cocks his head, perplexed.

The other man continues, "That girl went to the kitchen earlier, wanting to prepare something for you. I let her prepare the ingredients and stir the soup, but I supervised because I can't let anything spoil your stomach at this crucial time."

Zero nods. "I see."

Bowl in hand, Sugiyama takes a step back and says, "Well then, I'll be back."

As soon as the door closes, Lelouch removes his mask and sighs deeply. He needs to apologize for his outburst earlier. He was too cruel and careless with his words, he is certain that he had scared her tremendously. He had scared her when he said that she will be safe and cared for here.

Passing by the living room, a piece of paper lying on the table catches his attention. Curious, he picks it up and reads the content.

MASTER

I WORTE THIS LETER TO THANK YOU FOR BIING A KIND AND TOUHGTFUL MASTER. THANK YOU FOR TAKNG CARE OF ME AND FOR GIVING ME MEALS. MASTER ALSO WILL NOT LET ME DO CHORS BUT I WANTT TO SERVE MASTER BECOS YOU ARE GOOD TO ME. I HOPE MASTER WINS THE MISION SO THAT YOU WILL BE HAPPY. I WILL STAY BY MASTER'S SIDE FOREVR.

C.C.

And there, in the space before her name, is a drawing of a man in violet. It is very much like a child's art with two dots as eyes and a curved line as the smiling lips. The black hair was colored beyond the lines but it is obvious that it is Lelouch. And beside it is a girl with long green hair and with the same expression as the drawing Lelouch. Colorful flowers decorated the background and a sun shines above them.

The real Lelouch closes his eyes and sighs for the hundredth time today. Good grief, he feels so bad and guilty. His outburst earlier seems pointless and immature now that he had his head cleared. Like a flood, the image of her frightened wide eyes comes back to him. The quiver in her voice and the shiver of her body. All of these he ignored earlier, but now...

He goes to their room with purpose, letter in hand, only to find it empty.

"C.C.?" he calls.

He waits.

There's no respond.

He goes to the bathroom, but she isn't there either. The bed is empty and even the cabinets where she could potentially hide. Did she go out of the quarters? Impossible, he should have heard the door slide if that's the case. But he's been too busy, been too focused to notice if a meteor lands on Ikaruga.

"C.C.?" he tries again. The room remains silent.

He is about to leave when something on the floor catches his attention. His eyes narrowed at the sight of a few green hair strands scattered on the floor. Lelouch crouches by the bedside and there lying underneath is the one he's been looking for.

"What are you doing there?" he gently asks.

Her face is covered by her thick tresses but the gold of her eyes shine among the forest.

"Getting out of Master's sight," she mumbles.

Reaching out, Lelouch coaxes her. "Come out now. I didn't mean what I said earlier."

C.C. shakes her head. "This is a punishment for making Master angry because I disobeyed his orders."

"Then I should be punished, too." The witch's eyes widen as Lelouch crawls under the bed. The cramped space is quite uncomfortable and suffocating and he wonders how long she's been staying here.

"Why?"

He shrugs apologetically. "Because I scared you. Because I said harsh things."

"But Master was right," she whispers.

"No, I wasn't. I treated you like a…" _like a slave just like how everyone in your past treated you._ Yet, Lelouch couldn't get the words out of his mouth. So instead, he sincerely says, "I am sorry."

In response, C.C. just stares at him, then looks down and hides her face behind her hair again. He listens to her shaky breath, watches as her fist open and close. She had cried. He made her cry.

"This place is a bit uncomfortable and dark, let's get out?"

Finally, she nods.

He helps her crawl out of the place and dust off her hair.

"That's…" she utters as she sees the letter in his hand.

"Oh, I read it. This is such a heartfelt and thoughtful letter. I am deeply touched. You did well, C.C."

"I did?"

Grabbing her hand, he guides them out of the bedroom and into the living room. "This is exactly what I needed after a tiring day. I am happy now."

"If Master's happy then I am happy, too."

Lelouch smiles.

Sugiyama's voice in the intercom interrupts the moment and Lelouch's stomach automatically growls again at the thought of food.

He carefully places the hot bowl on the table and as soon as he opens the cover, the delicious smell of the meat and vegetable invades his nose. Oh, he can't wait to dig in. He gets a spoonful of the soup, puts it in his mouth ("That's still hot, Master!" C.C. says in the background) and moans at the satisfaction it brings. He follows it with another spoonful, this time with meat and vegetables and wow, this is so, so good.

"This is delicious," he declares. Lelouch offers C.C. the spare spoon and asks her to eat with him.

"But… Okay." Hesitantly, she tastes the soup and gasps at its sumptuousness.

"It's good, right?"

C.C. nods. "Yes!"

"Thank you for preparing this for me. Thank you for writing the letter, too." He stares at her intently, hoping that he will be able to communicate his genuine apology and appreciation to his accomplice.

Looking up, the witch blushes then says, "You're welcome, Master."

And they continue to eat together – side by side, apologies and gratitude accepted – until not a drop is left in the bowl, until it is as clean as brand new and both of their stomachs are full and Lelouch thinks, things are finally starting to fall into place.


	5. Chapter 5

"So what can you say? Do you think she will like it?"

…

"Too extravagant? Huh, perhaps the glitters are too excessive. Plus, there's always the danger of them getting into her eyes."

…

"The ribbons are too much? But it will give a youthful touch to the overall look. Nunnally definitely looked adorable whenever I put ribbons on her hair."

…

"Fine, I will just put a large one. Pink? Right, that seems to be her favorite color. Once, I found a pair of pink hair ties scattered on my bed when I strictly told her to return them to their proper place the night before. What a messy, stubborn girl."

Using his spare scissors, Lelouch cuts the pink cloth into two. Discarding the shorter one, he wraps the remaining cloth around the base of the plain summer hat that he had purchased online and sews it on the material. He hums as he imagines the delight it would bring to the girl, and the benefits it could provide everytime they will go outside - her long green hair being stylishly hidden from the eyes of the public.

It didn't leave his mind, that day when they went shopping, seeing her in complete awe and wonder about the modern environment surrounding them. For regular people, it was just another walk in the park, a simple stroll in the mall where they see ordinary places, familiar items they would disregard at the end of the day, but for this C.C., it was a day of new discoveries and adventures – of walking freely outside without the fear of getting caught and scolded. She had smiled so many times back then it almost disoriented Lelouch especially when they were directed at him. Mostly, they were directed at him.

It was such a foreign expression on her – that smile so genuine and pure that he felt like it was a mask ready to be removed anytime, anywhere. But then, he remembered that this was her before the code and the curse of immortality. This was C.C. untainted of the endless melancholy and solitude, with a heart which only seeks for sincere affection and love. This was the original C.C. – the persona that the witch had buried along with her emotions and attachments deep under the soil of indifference and hopelessness as she wanders alone through time.

Yet, this was not the smile that he had promised he would give her. Though, he himself isn't certain on what kind of smile he was pertaining to back in C's World, under which circumstance should he bestow that expression to her, what he is aiming for is the happiness which both the slave girl and the witch would treasure, a happiness so immense it would accompany her for a long, long time, during her darkest nights and long cold journey, a smile that will engrave itself in her heart and mind.

Lelouch sighs. Ever since, he had been in the company of amnesiac C.C., he had become too soft-hearted and sentimental which he doubts is a great help in executing his plans. Well, just look at him, Zero, leader of the Black Knights, sewing a pink ribbon on a hat during his spare time so that C.C. would have something to wear when they have an outing again. He even imagined the scenario with Nunnally – after the Black Knights successfully retrieve her – and she and C.C. are staying in a safe place far from war and tragedy. They will definitely go along very well, spending their afternoons under the soft glow of the sun, wearing the hats he had personally made for them.

Sentimental and stupid, indeed.

"Too big?" Lelouch looks up and glares at his companion who is silently sitting on the couch across from him. "Then no one will notice it if I make it smaller. It certainly defeats the purpose of having a ribbon."

Tilting his head, he listens intently on the other's opinion. He scowls and grudgingly offers the hat, "Then why don't you do it yourself? You don't even have the hands to hold the pin."

And crazy.

He is definitely, undoubtedly going crazy.

"Useless Cheese-kun," he mumbles as he crosses his legs and resumes with his task. "Maybe, that's why she doesn't play with you anymore."

…

"Okay, I'm sorry! I didn't mean that. Just don't tell C.C."

…

"Thank you."

The craziest of the craziest men. A madness surpassing that of the emperor's. He, holding a one-sided conversation with a lifeless stuff toy, what a sight to behold. In his defense, Lelouch is just comforting Cheese-kun for he had noticed that along with the witch's memories, her fondness of Cheese-kun had disappeared, too. Always, he would find the stuff toy lying on the couch alone while its owner is inside their room reading a book. Never had he seen C.C. hug and play with it anymore which is another strong indication of how different she is right now. Perhaps, he feels pitiful to the toy. He would certainly be disheartened if Nunnally will suddenly treat him coldly. He might even cry, though, he won't admit it to anyone. But maybe, he is reflecting himself to Cheese-kun, too – being the ones who _she_ had left behind without any warning.

Suddenly, the intercom switches on and Ohgi's voice resonates in the room. "Zero, everyone is already in the conference room."

Putting the hat down, Lelouch wears his Zero mask and proceeds to the doorway, glancing at the door of their bedroom where C.C. is currently taking a nap as he passes by it.

Ohgi's surprised face greets him on the other side of the main door as the former looks at what he is holding in his arms.

"Uhh, Zero…" the Japanese hesitantly begins, scratching his cheek.

"Let's go. We shouldn't waste any time and energy on useless matters."

* * *

The intercom switches on and C.C., who just woke up from a very nice nap excitedly runs to the device and answers, "Master?"

"Master? Well, yeah, I am Tamaki, the _Master_ of all Trades!"

Tamaki? Tamaki… Tamaki… Oh, Tamaki! The man with the reddish brown hair and loud voice. The one who was with Mr. Tohdoh and who grabbed her from Master's behind. She vaguely remembers him as someone unruly.

"Uhm, Mas- I mean, Zero is not here," she says from behind the door, remembering her master's advice of not letting anyone enter the room except for him.

"I'm not here for my best pal. He's in the middle of a meeting right now. I am actually here for a peace offering."

"Peace… offering?"

"You know, I've been rude to you last time and made Zero angry so I brought something to renew our friendship."

Upon hearing the word 'friendship', C.C.'s heart soars. The idea of making new friends, and someone who wants to be her friend for that matter, only brings joy and giddiness to the girl. Lelouch's reminder comes back to her but denying someone's offer of friendship is just a despicable thought for her innocent mind. So she presses the button and the door slides open.

Tamaki, carrying a bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other, proudly enters the quarters and unceremoniously sits on the couch. Following behind, C.C. sits across the table and watches the man carefully.

The Black Knight clears his throat. "Well, I would like to apologize for being rude to you before. I didn't realize how sick you were until Zero told us that you needed to stay here for an indefinite length of time."

He uncaps the bottle and pours what seems to be wine to the glasses.

"It's alright. I am not mad."

Whipping his head so fast, the man stares at her for a few seconds, the wine dangerously close to spilling, before he catches himself and says, "You really are sick. You didn't react like how I expected."

"Like how?"

Shrugging, Tamaki hands her the glass which he says is the symbol of their friendship. Not wanting to be disrespectful, C.C. accepts it even though she does not drink liquor.

"Bitchy, arrogant, smug. You know, your usual self. You always look at me as if I am way beneath your level."

C.C. does not respond, instead, she gulps a healthy amount of wine, wincing at its taste and at the sudden heat that engulfs her throat.

"You always treat me like I am dumb which makes me mad. But I cannot do anything about it because your Zero's…" He groans. "Anyway, it's not like I was hurt, I just don't want someone to belittle me when I know that I am the best Black Knights member around here," he ends with a snicker.

She thrusts her empty glass to him and asks for more. Tamaki gladly grants her request. "Tell me more."

A curious brow rises as he drinks his own wine. "About how you treated me?" She nods. "Hmm… Sometimes, you act like I am invisible. You always interrupt while I tell Zero a brilliant idea and dismisses everything that I've said. You like making fun of me which Zero sadly never stopped. Man, you make me look like shit."

"Can I have another glass?"

"Whoa! I never thought that you are such a strong drinker! We could have been drinking buddies! Well, from now on, we are!"

The heat is already climbing from her throat up to her cheeks and a buzzing sound is starting to ring in her ears. Head heavy, she wonders why the room is suddenly swaying and why she feels sleepy when she had just woken up.

"I always ask Zero to drink with me, you know, but he's always busy planning on Britannia's obliteration. Can't blame the man, though. He'd already killed a lot of people. There's no turning back now."

"Killed?" she gasps.

Tilting his head, Tamaki looks curiously at her. "Murdered? Massacred? How sick are you?"

But C.C. only mutters to herself, "Master cannot do that."

"What?" He releases a loud long burp which startles the girl. "But he is doing that for the liberation of Japan. For our freedom from the cruelty of Britannia. Sometimes, doing bad things is the only way to make the situation better."

"Does Zero always do that? I mean, kill people?"

Tamaki shrugs. "It can't be helped. Plus, I've never seen him shed any remorse for all of he's done which, I think, is one of his strengths as a leader. We can't have a crybaby in our group." Then he lets out a hearty drunken laugh. "Imagine Zero crying! Man, that would be a sight!"

But C.C. doesn't find anything hilarious from what she had heard so far – from how she supposedly treated Tamaki in the past to her master's killings. No, everything doesn't make sense. Everything is so hard to accept.

She asks for another glass which the Black Knight gladly accommodated.

"'I'm…" _hiccup_ , "…sorry…" _hiccup_ , "for treating…" _hiccup_ , "you badly. It…" _hiccup_ , "…won't happen again."

"Just stop being a bitch and we're good." To seal their understanding, Tamaki offers his hand for a shake.

C.C. narrows her eyes at _them_. Why… Why does he have two, three left hands? Why, when she tried to grab them, does she only touch air?

"C.C., are you alright?"

She looks up and finds her drinking buddy with three heads. Frightened, she quickly stands only to be attacked by a lightheadedness comparable from being hit by her former masters on the head. The room is spinning, her head and eyes are heavy. Her three-headed companion is saying something in the background but nothing is sensible, everything is muddled. She tries to take a step back but her legs got tangled and she painfully falls on her butt.

"C.C.? C.C.! Crap, Zero is going to kill me for this!"

And those are the last words she heard before succumbing to darkness.

* * *

"And that's how Asahina and his team will penetrate the building. So, what do you think, Zero?"

Zero analyzes Tohdoh's presentation in his head as he leafs through the pages of the plan. It sounds foolproof, with how the older man confidently laid out all the pros and cons of the attack, victory seems to be a wish that is so close to being granted. But something doesn't sit well with him – as if they have overlooked an important factor that can cause the failure of the mission yet he cannot point out which.

"Hm?"

He glances at his left and listens to what _he_ has to say, after all _he_ is _hers_ , thus, _he_ bears _her_ intelligence _._

"Uhm, Zero?" Ohgi reluctantly inquires beside him.

Raising a hand, he shushes him, "Be quiet. I am thinking."

So they do.

But when five minutes have passed and Zero remains silent, Tohdoh braves to intervene, "Is there a problem with the plan?"

"I see… I see… So that's how it is," Zero mumbles, then he addresses the commander, "I have to review everything that's in this folder. Your presentation is promising but we cannot risk overlooking factors that may ruin our success. Remember, our primary mission is to retrieve the viceroy alive and to rescue Kallen. Mistake has no room in this situation."

"I understand," Tohdoh responds. "I will do the same, too. I'll immediately report my findings afterwards," then he glances at the seat on Zero's left, "How is C.C.? Is she getting better?"

"She's fine," Zero answers shortly. "But she still needs a lot of rest."

"Well, rumors are starting to fly around the headquarters after days of not seeing her with you," Diethard, who is on the other end of the table, begins, "Rumors like she had already left the Black Knights, or that she succumbed to a grave illness, and one that she is pregnant."

"C.C…. is… pregnant," he slowly repeats.

"With your child, if I may add."

"My child?"

What the hell?

That thought is impossible and unbelievable even to him. C.C.? Becoming pregnant with his child? C.C.? And him? Oh, God, he is feeling nauseous. Oh, God, he wants to geass whoever spread that rumor to jump off the highest cliff.

Not that he is disgusted by the idea. C.C. is a beautiful enigmatic woman who will captivate you with mystery at first glance. She is clever, blunt, and unapologetic at the right and needed moments, but at the same time, she always knows when he needed her as an ally and a shoulder to lean on when the price of being a false masked hero overwhelms him. C.C. and he understand each other in a deeper level unlike the others. They are accomplices, a demon and a witch, thus, this connection had made them stay at each other's sides more often. He needed her cynical but thought-provoking insights, and she needed him to grant her wish.

Although, that was all before he discovered her real wish.

Lelouch sighs. But does the Black Knights really think that they share _that kind_ of relationship? He and C.C. are well-aware how some of them call her his mistress. They never addressed it because it was a small fish amongst the sea of sharks and whales. There are more important matters to discuss than clearing the members' unfounded assumptions, and it was soon swept under the rug, totally forgotten.

But now, this baseless rumor of her being pregnant with his child is leading him to think of more unnecessary and embarrassing things that he'd rather not discuss with anyone. Ever.

Clearing his throat, he stands on his full height, emitting authority and intimidation inside the room. "So instead of focusing in our agenda, most of you are wasting your time gossiping."

"No, it's not like that," Diethard appeals, nervous. "The people are just curious – "

"Curiosity killed the cat," he cuts him off. "And if you don't concentrate on what is important, more lives will be lost."

"Y-Yes… I'll immediately tell them to stop spreading groundless stories."

"But we sincerely wish for C.C. to get well soon. She's a great adviser to the Black Knights, right, Tohdoh?" Ohgi tries to lighten the atmosphere.

"Indeed," the older commander agrees, "After all, it looks like her stuff toy is exhausted from this meeting."

Embarrassed, Lelouch snatches Cheese-kun from C.C.'s seat and tucks him underneath his armpit. Good thing that he has the mask on.

"Meeting adjourned. The next one will be tomorrow morning at 9."

And he is the first one to leave the room, all the while thinking that he wasn't able to deny the allegations.

* * *

The door slides open and Lelouch enters their quarters, relief flooding his shoulders. Removing his mask and cape, he proceeds to the couch to lay Cheese-kun down when he finds C.C. already sleeping on it.

She's sleeping again? Or did she sleepwalk? Legs bent, hands under her cheek, C.C. looks like a child enjoying her adventure in dream land. Putting the toy beside her head, he kneels infront of the girl and lightly shakes her.

"C.C.?"

Her eyes remain tightly closed, but a whiff of a strange smell catches Lelouch's attention. He sniffs again. And again.

Is that alcohol in her breath? He leans further in and has his suspicion confirmed. Looking closer, her cheeks are dusted with red and when he touches her once more, she's warmer than normal.

"C.C., C.C., wake up," he shakes her again.

It takes a couple more attempts before the girl is able to lift her eyelids albeit very little.

"Master?" she whispers, confused.

"What happened here? Why are you drunk?"

"Master… Welcome back, Master…"

And her eyes fall shut again.

It seems like he wouldn't get any coherent answer from her any time soon. Lelouch rises and puts his arms under her knees and neck. He carries the unconscious girl to their bedroom and gently places her on the bed. Hands on his hips, the exiled prince watches as her chest goes up and down. He can't think of any possibility that could lead her to this state. There is no alcoholic beverages inside their quarters and this C.C. definitely does not show any interest in drinking. Then how? Unless, someone brought the liquor to her. And he can only think of one person who has the guts to do that despite how many times Lelouch had repeated to leave his accomplice alone.

That idiot, what was he thinking?!

He is about to leave the room to confront the member when a soft voice calls out to him. Returning to the bed, he sits on the edge and finds her crying. "C.C.?"

"Master, Master, I'm a bad person," she utters in a broken voice, her eyes still shut. Her little fists clutch the bedsheet crumpling it towards her.

Brows furrowed, Lelouch says, "No, you are not. What happened?"

"I'm sorry… for being a _bitch_ … I promise I won't do it again."

Tamaki… What have you done?

"Sorry… So sorry…"

Lelouch wipes the tears that escape from her eyes with his fingers as he comforts the drunk girl.

"But Master is not sorry for killing people…"

His hand freezes upon hearing her words.

"You are bad, too."

His hand completely falls away from her face. Bending his back forward, he rests his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together infront of him. It's not like this is news to him. He had known this ever since he issued that first geass command. He basically asked someone to kill themselves infront of him. He is more than bad. He is evil, a demon. A person who could easily discard the lives of hundreds of people without second thought. But to literally hear it, and from C.C. of all people? From _this_ C.C. who only sees kindness in people? That actually kind of hurt. He can't help but feel like a hypocrite drowning in his own lies.

A rustle behind him, then a hand holds on to his shirt. "But sometimes, the only way to defeat evil is to become evil yourself…" A sniff. "Some goodness come out from the bad and those are the most remarkable… Master…" Another sniff. "I'll stay with you until you achieve that goodness."

When Lelouch turns around, his accomplice had fallen back to sleep and is already snoring. He covers her body with the blanket and fixes the pillow under her head. Stroking her emerald tresses, he whispers a silent 'Thank you' before leaving the confines of their room.

In the living room, he sits on the couch, grabs Cheese-kun, and hugs him tightly against his chest.

In that moment, Lelouch finally feels the comfort and security the toy had been giving the witch.

No wonder why it was always with her.

There is no greater feeling than the feeling of not being alone.

* * *

 **First of all, I would like to thank everyone for the positive reception of this compilation. I didn't expect that it would be well-received like this. Thank you for the likes and follows, and most importantly, for your generous reviews. I will never get tired of reading them. Thank you for lending your precious time to read my stories and for having the patience to anticipate them. I will be forever grateful for your support.**

 **Wishing you all to have a great week ahead.**

 **Keep going!**


	6. Chapter 6

"Well, to fill you in, all of our ground units have already posted their equipment on each of their positions. They are well-hidden from sight and are just waiting for Zero's commands." Ohgi explains while slicing his piece of roasted beef. "Rakshata has also modified the knightmares of our aerial troops so that their flight ability will outlast our enemies."

C.C. nods before taking a bite of her pepperoni pizza.

"Meanwhile, Rolo will lead the team that will infiltrate the building to get the viceroy. Another team will rescue Kallen who we have determined is detained on the same building."

"We aim to get Kallen immediately. Her skills are vital in the victory of this mission most especially when the Lancelot comes into the battle field," Tohdoh adds.

"Reasonable. But would you still pursue the battle once you have the viceroy?" she asks.

It is Lelouch who answers, "We will see how everything turns out the day after tomorrow. For now, the top priority is getting to the viceroy and Kallen."

"Eh, what is this? Is Zero slacking off? I thought this is such an important operation that you tolerate no failure in execution."

"Hmph. Nobody'slacking off. Follow-up and back-up plans have been oriented to each of the members. Codes have been distributed thus, only the evaluation of the current situation is needed to implement our strategies."

C.C. smirks. "Whatever you say, Zero."

"Er, Zero," Ohgi begins, "Will she be joining us in the field?"

"No. She will remain in our quarters where most of my notes and outlines are laid out and will be feeding me updates regarding our progress."

From the right end corner of the long table they've been feasting on, Tamaki's drunk voice rings with tangled speech, "Hey, hey, listen…It's not that I don't want you to get better," he points at C.C., "But the you when you were sick was far more tolerable than you being back to your snarky self."

"And it's not that I asked your opinion, either. We are discussing important matters here and you chose mundane topics as your inputs."

"Bitch!"

"Tamaki."

Grudgingly, the Black Knight member shuts his mouth after hearing his leader's calm but warning voice. He mumbles before helping himself with another glass of sake, immediately lightening his mood and re-directing his attention towards Asahina.

"We are glad that you could join us again, C.C. Your suggestions to our strategies have always been as valuable as Zero's," Tohdoh, who is at the first seat on Lelouch's left, says, sharp eyes intensely staring at the green-haired woman who is busy stirring her glass of orange juice.

"It's a shame that a few of our plans had been rescheduled just because a careless someone had lost the 'Definition of Terms' page of the folder…" she mockingly retorts.

"Are you referring to me?!" Tamaki shouts in the background.

"… but luckily, you are the leader of the team and not some ignorant person who couldn't even keep files properly."

"Can you just get sick again?!"

From the corner of his eyes, Lelouch watches as C.C. rests her elbow on the table and places her chin on her palm with a teasing smile on her face. Almost similar to the one she wore before losing her memories.

"Do I have something on my face, Zero?" she asks without looking back at him.

"None. But I suggest that you tone down your insults to Tamaki before he throws a glass your way."

"And miss the highlight of the evening? This party had been ordinary from the very beginning. I'd rather spend my night eating pizza with Cheese-kun."

This time, Lelouch faces her, his whole body turned towards the woman. "Would you really rather be left alone in our quarters instead of celebrating with the members?"

And he catches it – the subtle worry in her golden eyes, how she opens her mouth slightly and proceeds to bite her lower lip in hesitation, how her gaze fell on the ground before meeting his again.

"I'm sorry," she humbly whispers while fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

He can believe it. Actually, everyone had believed this little charades of theirs. Who wouldn't, when C.C. perfectly embodied the witch that she was before, when amnesiac C.C. perfectly copied the sarcasm and indifference of her alter ego, completely tricking all of the people in the room right now.

Lelouch didn't expect that she would be good at pretending considering how she reacted when he proposed the idea to her earlier…

 _Lelouch couldn't believe. He actually agreed to have a party two days before the planned rescue of Nunnally and Kallen. They had no time for such useless celebration when they had nothing to celebrate for yet. There was no need to waste their budget and resources for such boisterous events that could render the Black Knights wasted for a day or two._

 _But when Ohgi told him about the members' request for a night of relaxation in order for them to release some unnecessary tension that could possibly affect the mission that would define their status against Britannia, he couldn't help but concede. After all, they'd been too focused, too serious these past few days and a little distraction wouldn't hurt them. Instead, it could even boost the Black Knights' morale and improve their spirits, Ohgi justified._

 _So against his better judgment, Lelouch could only nod. But when he thought that the dilemma was over, another one presented itself._

 _He couldn't just leave C.C. alone in their quarters while he was outside, partying with the others. His conscience wouldn't let him rest, not when he was dealing with_ this _C.C. who had been deprived with social acceptance and respect. So he had to find a way to sneak her in without everyone noticing that they were with a different girl._

" _Act?" she asked in confusion. Her eyes followed his movement as he walked back and forth infront of the couch she was sitting on._

" _Yes, I need you to act as if you are somebody else. Can you do that?"_

" _I can, Master. But may I know why?"_

 _Lelouch stopped, looked up, and rummaged his head with an excuse that wouldn't sound too outlandish. "Because… Because we are going to hold a party wherein a few people will act different personalities secretly and the other attendees must guess who they are."_

" _A party?" The excitement in her voice didn't escape Lelouch's ears and when he turned his gaze to his companion, eyes sparkling with anticipation were what greeted him._

" _Indeed. Have you ever gone to one?"_

 _C.C. shook her head. "I haven't. My past masters didn't allow me to go with them. I had to look after the house and animals until they returned."_

" _And how long did these parties last?" he inquired._

" _Well, uhm." She started gripping the edges of her long hair, another habit of amnesiac C.C. that Lelouch secretly found cute. "All night. Sometimes, if the party or the feast was in a faraway village, it would take them a week to return."_

" _And you'd be all by yourself? How about your food?"_

" _They'd leave some left-overs that were enough to last."_

 _Lelouch tapped his forehead as his mind visualized the image of a young girl, lonely and hungry, all alone in a dark house, or perhaps, alone in the stables with only the farm animals as her company. It just solidified the fact that he made the right decision to make her go to the celebration with him._

 _But as easy as convincing her to play pretend, upon hearing what she had to portray, it had been a difficult task to have C.C. act the total opposite of her current personality._

" _But why do I have to be rude to other people, Master?" There was already guilt in her eyes and Lelouch was suddenly feeling guilty, too without knowing why._

" _Well, not completely rude, but rather blunt. Yes, yes, that's the right word. You have to be blunt and indifferent and… and sarcastic."_

" _But how?"_

 _He was instantly sent back to those times when they would fight about C.C.'s overconsumption of pizza, how she always got her way rather forcefully and won each argument they ever had._ _Her snarky comebacks against his arguably reasonable statements. The teasing smile on her lips. Her witchiness._

 _Immediately, his memories brought him back to the little moments – moments that the witch must had thought she had hidden well – when C.C. would exclude herself from any gathering, particularly if it was one that invoked emotions she insisted she had forgotten, and_ _found solace on one dark corner, eyes downcast, lips in a thin line._

 _How she turned her head away everytime she was embarrassed, apologetic, regretful._

 _All these traits he took for granted not knowing that a time would come that the C.C. he knew would suddenly vanish._

 _Upon the realization that he had been unconsciously staring at the girl before him for quite a while (who was actually squirming under his gaze), he shook his head and sat down beside her._

 _There's no use chasing a ghost now._

 _"Like a witch," he answers. "You must act like a witch."_

He supplied her with every possible scenario and conversation that might come up during the party – proper generic responses to the commanders' queries and the members' curiosity.

But what he didn't expect is that she will be good at acting. So far, everyone who she had talked to never suspected anything and that is both comforting and disturbing to Lelouch.

Because for a moment, he had forgotten that this is temporary. That after the party, back in their quarters, she will return to the slave girl that she is now.

"Zerooooo!"

Lelouch turns to the source of the desperate voice and finds Tamaki stomping towards him. He waits until the Japanese reaches his place and asks, "What is it now?"

"What happened to C.C.? Why is she back to normal?"

Drunk. He is definitely drunker than before. C.C. who is following Tamaki, automatically stands beside Lelouch with an uninterested look on her face.

"I see that you have quite the reunion," remarks Lelouch.

"A reunion that I could definitely live without," C.C. adds.

"You! I thought we were already friends! We had an understanding! You even said sorry for being rude to me!"

"You shouldn't trust a sick person's words. Anyway, Zero, I have to talk to you."

"What? I'm still talking here! Zero, look how she treats one of your officers! This is unacceptable!"

"Tamaki, you are dismissed," Lelouch calmly declares.

They left him half-angry, half-devastated and proceed on the other side of the room divider which Lelouch personally requested so he has somewhere to remove his mask off during the party. As soon as they are away from the crowd, Lelouch takes his mask off welcoming the relief that the cool air brings to his face.

"Is there any problem?"

And right before his eyes, the C.C. he knew quickly disappears. Gone is the sly slant of her eyes, the playful rise of her lips that she wore earlier. Her eyes gradually turn wide and her mouth settles into a nervous frown as she roams her gaze around the dark room.

"Uhm, master, how long do I have to act?" Ringing her hands, C.C. hesitantly stares up at him.

He studies her. "Are you tired?"

She shakes her head. "No. But Mr. Tamaki seems to be very angry at me. He's right, I apologized for being rude to him and I promised not to do that again. I promised… him."

"Do you want to go back to the quarters now?"

For a moment, C.C. does not answer. Instead, she gazes through the spaces between the blinds and stares longingly at members dancing on the floor. The changing lights reflect on her golden eyes and a little smile appears on her lips.

"Promises are not meant to be broken," she silently murmurs.

 _"I promise to give you the smile you never had!"_

He takes a step forward. "Do you want to dance?"

C.C. turns towards him with hope in her eyes. "Am I allowed?"

Lelouch nods. "Of course you are. Do you know how to dance?"

He knows that she is. It is one of those talents she had acquired from living for so long. And this C.C. had proven to him over and over that despite her mind had forgotten, her body didn't.

"Well, I can recall some of the steps from some of the festival dances."

"Show me."

"Most of the time, we wore skirts, but I think this will do." She grabs the slits of her Black Knights uniform, lifts them up a little bit, and begins tapping her feet on the floor. She hops from side to side, back and forth. Putting her hands on her hips, the small space that they are in becomes her personal stage. The little of light reaching the room illuminates the green of her hair like fireflies on the grass. There is a childlike glow surrounding her that reminds Lelouch of life's simplicity - listening to the birds' songs, lying on the moist grass watching the clouds float above them, spending a peaceful day without the worry of being abducted, without the bitterness of abandonment - simplicity that he and Nunnally never experienced. Simplicity that Britannia had stolen from them since his mother died.

But from the very beginning, they were never bound to experience such simplicity, weren't they? After all, they were born with the royal blood flowing in their veins and even if the tragedy with their mother didn't happen, the competition for the throne would still stain their hands. The growing power of Britannia, its hunger to rule the world would have affected their upbringing.

Whichever side he looks, Lelouch only sees chaos, danger and injustice.

Without noticing, his right foot begins tapping with the beat. It is only when C.C. asked him that he realizes he's bobbing his head to the music.

"Would you like to join me, Master?" she asks.

He stops, then nods. He hooks his arm around C.C.'s and joins her and together, they do an old traditional dance that is out of the modern music's beat. In that moment, Lelouch forgets about Zero's mask, geass, knightmares, Suzaku, rebellion, Britannia and the mission they are about to execute in the future.

In that moment, Lelouch stops leading and lets himself be led by a girl who only wishes to be treated kindly, to be loved truly.

In that moment, Lelouch is just Lelouch and no one else.

C.C. giggles when their feet accidentally step on each other. She twirls him, standing on her tiptoes in order to match his tall height. Her uniform flies around her as she glides and turns and skips in the room and transforms into a dove soaring freely in the clear skies. She is happiness and he is infected.

Freedom, Lelouch thinks, is not just being able to walk and run freely on the streets without the fear of getting killed and being judged by others. Without having care about being accepted by the society. Freedom, Lelouch mulls, is sometimes a small dark room with bamboo blinds separating the lively other side, enclosing a boy and a girl hiding from the crowd as they dance like people of the olden days.

Freedom, at times, is pretending that everything is alright.

When the music slowed down, Lelouch offers his hand to C.C., bows a little and says, "May I have this dance, mi lady?"

C.C. curtsies and replies, "Yes, Your Highness."

And so they dance a waltz with Lelouch remembering the dance lessons he had when they were still residing in the palace.

"I always dreamed of attending a ball," C.C. whispers, a light blush dusting her cheeks. "I wanted to dance with a prince," she smiles sheepishly, "But that is quite an impossible wish."

* * *

Back in their quarters, back to their reality, Lelouch reviews their plans and ensures that all of the factors are in place. Tomorrow, he will do a full inspection of the members to determine if they are coherent and well enough to execute the rescue mission. He allows no room for mistake in this important phase; he is ready to sacrifice anything, anyone just to retrieve Nunnally.

"Master?"

"What is it?" he asks without looking up from the blueprints.

"Do I still have to act when talking to someone?"

"You don't have to. But it would be best if you stay here for a while especially when I'm gone."

"Yes, Master."

"By the way, can you grant me a last request?" He swivels to face C.C., crosses his legs like he used to do when facing an opponent. But he isn't facing one, is he? He is looking at the only person who had seen his dark soul and accepted him for who he is. And for now, even for just a temporary moment, he wants to see that person despite it's just a pretension.

He recalls how light he had felt while they were dancing earlier. It was so out of his character – something he would never have done premeditatedly, but that feeling of carefreeness and elation that he doesn't have the luxury to bask in still lingers in his nerves. It is one good lie amongst the bad ones he has done.

"What is it, Master?"

"Will you act for the last time and call me by my name?"


	7. Chapter 7

There is something that squeezes her heart whenever she hears him call _that_ name. A tiny fist of despair and abandonment that she is well-versed off.

Sometimes, it is a whisper that he unconsciously says thinking that it is inaudible to everyone except for him.

Sometimes, it is a careless utterance, a sort of reflex that he was used to do whenever he is sharing a lighthearted story.

When he catches himself saying those first two syllables, his eyes will dim, lips in a thin line as if such name brings back too many sentimental memories that he wishes to redo.

But often times, he says it while he sleeps - when the night is quiet and the room is dark. C.C. will be awakened by his desperate voice only to find him reaching in the dark while calling for _her_ name.

 _Nunnally_. Light in the tongue, fluid in the ear.

Whenever C.C. tries that name, she thinks of butterflies in the meadow, of lavenders and the gentle waves of the sea. Three syllables that are both soft and hard on her tongue.

So it is a puzzle to her why such name that brings the spring in the fields could emit the forest's desolation to her master.

Silly, of course it is a puzzle for she doesn't know the other girl. Is she his sister? A friend? His betrothed?

C.C. frowns at the last thought. One thing for certain is that Nunnally's someone who is so special to Master that he longs for her even during the state of unconsciousness.

She had seen a photo (that's what they call the piece of paper with people on it, and which C.C. thinks is so magical and unreal to trap a memory in making it tangible forever) of Nunnally from Master's things when she was cleaning the room once. It was tucked in between the pages of a book and had the words, 'Nunnally, Summer 2012' written at the back of it.

She is beautiful. The kind of beauty that gives warmth in the morning and feels like a blanket during winter. Her long wavy brown hair reminds C.C. of the silk fabrics she was often commanded to buy from tradesmen - tradesmen who sometimes said harmful words to her, tradesmen from the farthest islands who thirsted for the skin of women, tradesmen whom she often ran away from when they thought that her hair was much prettier than their silk.

She likes Nunnally's smile. It is kind, it is sincere. And C.C. likes kind and sincere people. Sometimes, it is those you've never experienced in your life that you will like the most.

Her eyes were closed, something that C.C. is curious about. Perhaps, Nunnally was caught mid-blink? Had something in her eyes? Perhaps, the sun was too high and glaring in the sky that she couldn't keep her eyes wide open. It must be a good day. C.C. wants to see the color of her eyes.

In the photo, Nunnally sat on a chair with wheels and C.C. tilted and raised the photo to figure out why the former would sit on it. Ah! It must be easier than walking and faster than sprinting! Imagine doing the chores without standing and only wheeling from place to place. Surely, that would have made C.C.'s duties bearable. But then she worried being stuck in the mud just like wagons during heavy rains. She had shaken her head to get away from her childish fantasies. Maybe, there's a deeper reason why Nunnally sat on such furniture.

Viceroy. That's how the Black Knights refer to her and what was written on Mr. Tohdoh's papers. She remembered being proud to be able to read that word – trying how it sits on her lips for a few times. Though she isn't certain what exactly it means, it does sound very important and political (another word that C.C. is proud of learning) and again, C.C. had wondered how such a young girl like Nunnally became very important and very political. She cannot imagine herself holding immense power over people at that age. C.C. only dreamt of freedom from slavery, being able to eat delicious foods three times a day (four times would be pleasant, too), having a soft bed to lie on, nice dresses, and somehow a young kind man whom she will marry.

Nunnally must be very wise and courageous.

And Master wants to rescue her. Everyday, C.C. sees him wear a wary yet focused face since she came to this place, and not until Nunnally is back to him that he will _relax_. She has yet to see that expression on him so she prays for the mission to be successful every night.

For Master's happiness is her happiness, too.

* * *

Everything is burning.

The Black Knights' air units have all fallen from the sky like violent shooting stars. His commanders won't answer him. Rolo's team is unreachable. Around him is a sea of red and yellow hot tendrils. The Shinkiro is rendered paralyzed after getting hit by the Lancelot at its crucial part. Lelouch has no choice but to exit the knightmare and risk getting caught or worse, killed by the Britannian army… by Suzaku.

No, this is not the right time to hesitate, not the right time to worry for his own safety. Nunnally is somewhere in this building and he has to act now. Leaving the confines of Shinkiro, Lelouch abandons the fire behind him and heads to the burning building. Smoke in his eyes and throat, he struggles to make his way in as debris dangerously fall around him.

"Nunnally!" Lelouch coughs.

He sees a staircase, or what little left of it, and attempts to go to the higher floor but it is useless.

A scaffolding crashes infront of him effectively blocking his way.

Damn it! The first floor is almost burned through and in a matter of minutes, the upper floor will collapse burying him alive.

No. He has to find a way. There should be another way out of this manmade Hell. Think, Lelouch! You are the master of tricks, the expert of cheats! Trick your way out of this predicament and cheat death! He has to think, he has to think, he has to or else Nunnally will die.

"Nunnally!"

What went wrong in the mission? This was never in their plan. All they have to do was fight a bunch of Britannians, engage Suzaku in a battle to keep him distant from Nunnally, save Kallen and have her fight on their side and retrieve Nunnally safely. SAFELY. But what the hell happened?

Lelouch can't accept this failure. He had lost sleep, lost weight to review their strategies over and over and over again so as to assure that failure is an impossibility. He provided the best equipment and units to the Black Knights, upgraded their knightmares and weapons. Not only twice did he orient them of the plan and tactics but he had explained it religiously, relentlessly in case they forget it.

When did it fall apart? They were winning. The Britannians were on the verge of retreating. They had immobilized Suzaku. Then why is he in this situation right now?

"Nunnally!" He steps on something hot and howls at the unexpected pain.

Where is everybody? Rolo's team should be here by now. They should be near. At this moment, he hoped that Rolo used his geass to finish the mission and escape safely. Right, Rolo is a smart boy. He would use it to his advantage.

Ah, goddamit, just let him use it to rescue Nunnally and Lelouch will postpone his plan to permanently dispose the boy for a while. Lelouch will even treat it as a debt he is willing to pay in whatever means.

Rolo, you are his hope right now.

Lelouch's eyes are beginning to tear up as the heat becomes unbearable. His chest is heavy as he inhales smoke and dust.

"Nunnally!" he shouts and immediately falls on his knees while coughing.

Someone, please help his sister. It doesn't matter whether he will come out of this building alive, just let Nunnally be safe. He cannot lose more people in his life. His mother, Euphy and Shirley. He cannot lose the _most_ important person in his life. That's why... Please, somebody...

The crackle of flames messes with his thoughts, sending panic as he thinks of the fire's tendrils licking Nunnally's skin. If only C.C. is with him. _His_ C.C. She would be able to get him out of this, guide him on what to do next. This would be one of the rare times he would be glad that she interrupted the plan and saved him. He needs her wisdom badly. Her immortality.

If only he didn't lose C.C., too.

"Le...ch. Can... hear me?"

So, he is hallucinating now, huh? Is this an effect of suffocation? How pathetic. Zero, the leader of the Black Knights, killer of the royals, will die of suffocation. Without a fight.

"Lelouch! Can you... me?"

The voice is in his ear. So near and familiar. What is this, his sight is blurring now, too. This is really the end. His so sorry, Nunnally.

"Lelouch!"

"C.C..."

"Yes, it's me. Stay with me, boya. Listen to my voice."

Confusion quickly awakens his dying senses as the witch encourages him to stay awake. C.C., this is _his_ C.C., not the slave one.

"C.C., how - "

She cuts his weak question through his earpiece that he had totally forgotten about.

"Can you tell where you are?" she asks.

Rising on his knees, Lelouch squints so as to determine which part of the building he's at. Huh, so he was able to get this far. He is practically at the fountain area which is at the center of the ground floor. He tells this to C.C.

"The south exit is already unpassable. The east is on its way to collapse. The fire is strongest at the west wing. The fire exits are blocked. That means you have to escape using the north entrance."

"How did you know that there's a fire?"

"Enough of the questions, Lelouch. I'll guide you to your safety."

"How about Nunnally?"

She ignores him. "You memorized the blueprint, right?"

The blueprint? Oh, of course, he did memorize the blueprints of each building they were going to infiltrate. Panic and anxiety led him to forget about this fact and he wanted to hit his head for such an amateur mistake.

"Yes, I did," he answers while dodging a falling bulb infront of him.

"Good. Are you on your way back to the entrance now?"

"I am. But I have to find Nunnally fi – "

"Turn right to the lounge area. That is the shorter route towards the entrance."

The fire is indeed weaker in the lounge area. Lelouch can still see posts that are not yet completely burned and the smoke is not as thick as the one outside. Yet, it is as dangerous as the scorching hell in the fountain area. From his peripheral vision, he catches sight of a staircase scarce of flames. Without any second thought, he rushes to the stairs completely ignoring the unbearable heat of burning steels.

"Lelouch, where are you going? Why aren't you going outside?" C.C. calls.

How she knows what he is doing, he doesn't know. And he has no time to mull over such mundane thing now.

"Nunnally is up there! I have to save her!"

"Forget about Nunnally, think about yourself!"

He stops short.

What the hell? What. The. Fucking. Hell? Did he hear her right? Did she really just utter those words? C.C.? His most trusted accomplice? The one who promised him that wouldn't leave his side? C.C. who deeply knows how important Nunnally is to him?

"What did you say?" he asks in a low voice, inhaling the carbon surrounding him.

A pause. Then in an equally low voice, C.C. answers. "Save yourself, Lelouch. A lot of people need you."

"People? Or _you_ for your wish?"

Silence.

He thought they were done with this. He thought she had refused the idea of dying to end her immortality back in C's World. The feeling of betrayal washes over him numbing him from the heat of his blazing environment.

Because he is angry and frustrated – his fuels for his own fire of emotions engulfing him into a pit of raging turmoil.

With a mind of their own, his feet resume climbing, ignoring danger, recklessly facing tragedy.

For above all, Nunnally is his purpose.

"Lelouch, don't go up! The upper floors are almost completely burned! You have to get out of there!"

C.C.'s desperate pleas fall into deaf ears.

Up, up, up. Just a little more steps. Ah, he can see the second floor now. He's almost there. Just a little more...

"Nunnally is dead."

He halts.

"She died during the explosion." C.C.'s voice breaks, something totally out of her character. "The bomb was in the control room where she and her staffs were monitoring the battle. She's dead, Lelouch. You have no one else to save but yourself. So please..."

"Stop talking," he murmurs.

"Go down, Lelouch."

"Shut up! How can I believe a liar like you?! Nunnally is alive! She's alive!"

"Wake up, Lelouch! It's the truth!"

He dashes upwards. "No!"

"Lelouch, wake up! Wake up!"

"No! She's alive! I'm going to save her!"

"Wake up! Please wake up!"

 _"Master, please wake up! I beg you!"_

His eyes crack open.

Black.

Everything is black.

It should be yellow, orange, red. Why is he seeing black?

"Master?"

He follows the voice. Green. Then there's the yellow in her tearful eyes.

"C.C.?"

Wiping her eyes in a way that resembles that of a child's manner, C.C. asks, "Are you alright, Master?"

Is he alright?

His chest heaves as his lungs desperately take in air. Cold sweat formed on his forehead, dangerously dripping down his temple. There are dark spots in his sight that make him dizzy and disoriented. His palms are sweaty, his feet frigid.

Is he alright?

No, he is far from alright.

The dream, or rather the nightmare feels so real that he can still feel the lingering fear that it left him.

And anger. The anger towards his accomplice is still there, fresh and driving.

All of a sudden, he is up, his right hand clasping C.C.'s left wrist so tightly that he can feel her bones.

"Master?" C.C. asks fearfully. He can feel her fast heartbeat on his fingers - as fast as his.

"You're lying."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're lying. You're a liar, C.C.! It's not true!"

She flinches. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Master. Please, it hurts."

But he does not hear nor see her. He's still trapped in the flames of the nightmare, burning him with misery and terror. "She's not dead! Nunnally... My sister is not dead!"

At this, C.C.'s eyes widen, then eventually soften, and as she struggles to fight his grip, she places her hands on the sides of his face. Leaning forward, her forehead touches his and a tiny spark hits his skin.

"Close your eyes, Master. Listen to my voice."

It takes a moment for her words to sink in but Lelouch finally recognizes the girl infront of him and follows her words.

"Take a deep breath... Slowly breathe out."

He does and it is like drowning at first. His lungs are filled with water of confusion until he is washed on the shore of gradual clarity.

"Breathe in, breathe out... Nunnally is right infront of you. Alive."

There is only darkness at first. The kind that is not frightening but is curious and waiting. Then slowly, a face forms before him - two-eyes closed as if they are dreaming, a mouth soft at its edges smiling warmly at him, cheeks as red as fresh cherries. Her long chocolate tresses frame her small face like gentle ocean waves.

Before him appears the face that always reminds him of summer and butterflies and teddy bears.

"Nunnally?" he utters in disbelief.

"Yes, it is her. Tell her what you wanted to say, Master."

"I'm sorry," Lelouch says to the image of his sister. He wants to touch her, to finally unshed his dishonesties. He wants to ask if she is alright, if the Britannians are treating her right. Are they pressuring her? Is she happy? It had been so long since they were this near to each other and he badly wants to close the gap between them.

But he doesn't.

"I have to lie for a little longer. For your safety and future, I have to don this mask again... Nunnally, please wait for me."

He patiently waits for an answer, but the image remains mute. However, a small frown appears on Nunnally's lips as her head tilts sideways.

"I will not ask for forgiveness for all that I've been doing until now are sins that don't deserve mercy... But will you understand me? When you find out the truth, will I still be your brother?"

Nunnally reaches out to grab his hand but Lelouch steps back.

"Make a wish, Master."

A wish?

"You don't have to say it out loud. Just express what is in your heart right now."

Suddenly, a purple origami appears on his right hand. As he lifts it up between him and Nunnally, another figure appears beside her.

Suzaku Kururugi.

His best friend.

Then beside Lelouch, someone who is with him this whole time stands.

C.C.

His witch.

His eyes roam around his companions and something aches in his chest.

He whispers to the origami and makes a wish.

They disappear and he is back to the present. Warmth envelopes his cheeks as C.C.'s palms keep them held. Slowly, he opens his eyes and what he sees first is their knees touching each other.

"Are you alright now?"

Releasing him, C.C. sits back and cradles her wrist against her chest.

Lelouch nods. "Thank you, but where did you learn to do that?"

"During that time when I slept in the stables, a horse would wake me up by nuzzling its forehead against mine whenever I had a nightmare," she smiles shyly and plays with her hair, "I must had been loud. Then, I'd think about what frightened me in my dreams and talk to them. So..." She looks down, a light blush teasing her skin, "So they wouldn't come back again. Oh, but Master didn't do that and I think you were amazing."

"And the wish?"

Her wide doe eyes illuminate the darkness of their room – looking at him as if the answer to his question is very much obvious. "Well, isn't it only right to fill your heart with hope after being terrified by fear?"

* * *

That morning, C.C. wakes up earlier than Lelouch letting the latter get back his lost sleep the night before.

Humming, she happily wipes the surfaces all the while thinking how nice it must feel to have a sibling.

So Nunnally is Master's sister. All of a sudden, most of her questions are answered and she is filled with admiration for Lelouch's immeasurable love for Nunnally.

Everything that he is doing, sleepless nights dedicated for planning, skipping meals because he is too immersed in a paper, the perpetual stern look on his face, all of these is for the sake of saving his younger sister.

Nunnally is so lucky to have him.

C.C. does not remember having a sibling. She can't even remember the faces of her parents. Her earliest memory is being passed down to different households as a slave.

But if she would have an older brother, she wishes for him to be as kind and loving as her master. Perhaps, if she had one, she wouldn't have ended up as a slave. She wouldn't have been so alone.

But if she did have one, she wouldn't have meet Master Lelouch.

C.C. shakes her head. This is too complicated for her to think in the early morning. Plus, what matters most is where she is right now and who she is with. The thought brings a small smile to her lips.

"You should have woken me up."

"Good morning, Master. Did you sleep well?" C.C. greets.

Lelouch rumples his hair as he yawns. "I did and it's thanks to you."

Hearing another gratitude directed to her is as foreign as imagining herself in a beautiful ballgown so she sputters a soft "You're welcome", and quickly thinks of another topic that would hopefully hide her embarrassment. "So Nunnally is your younger sister?"

Lelouch stops scratching his head leaving his hair disheveled and crosses his arms infront of him. "Yes, she's my younger sister."

"I heard that younger sisters are both a joy and a headache to have."

Lelouch chuckles and C.C. exhales in relief knowing that she didn't pry too much. "I'll agree to that."

She perks up. "Oh, I know! I can cook for her or sew her a dress or read a book together when she returns. Perhaps, I'll teach her the nightmare trick, too. And wash her clothes. We can play with Cheese-kun... also." C.C.'s voice falters upon noticing the unwavering gaze fixed on her. She must have said too much, must have offered less. "I will clean her bed... Wash her hair..."

"Being her friend is enough. Nunnally will like that."

"She will? I'll like that, too."

A large hand lands on top of her head. She squirms when Lelouch pats her head lightly, totally not expecting the action from him.

"Me, too," he says with a peaceful smile.

Looking up, she meets his grateful gaze with her surprised one until she comes to her senses and all she can think of is she will gain another friend in the future.

"Then I'll pray harder that your mission becomes successful so she will be home safe with you," utters C.C., and she reciprocates his smile with her assuring one. "And when that time comes, Master won't be alone in taking care of her anymore."

* * *

 **Happy birthday, Lelouch.**


End file.
